:■ ' . 



R TILLING 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 



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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



A MANUAL 



OF 



Vegetable Plants. 



CONTAINING 

THE EXPERIENCES OF THE AUTHOR IN STARTING ALL THOSE 

KINDS OF VEGETABLES WHICH ARE MOST DIFFICULT 

FOR A NOVICE TO PRODUCE FROM SEEDS. 



THE BEST METHODS KNOWN FOR COMBATING AND REPELLING 
NOXIOUS INSECTS, AND PREVENTING THE DISEASES 
TO WHICH GARDEN VEGETABLES 
ARE SUBJECT. 



r 

ISAAC F. TILLINGHAST. 



J* 

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LA 
F. 


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PA.: 
I N G H A S T. 






ISAAC 


PLUME, 
TILL 





1881. 



SB 3ii 

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• / 6Z 



Copyright, 1877, 
I. F. TILLI<NGHAST. 



S. W. Green's Son, 

Electrotyper, Printer and Binder, 

'4 Deekman Street, 

New York. 



PREFACE. 



We offer this little volume to the world, honestly- 
believing that its perusal will benefit all its readers 
who are so situated as to apply its teachings to prac- 
tice. 

As a literary writer we claim no credit, and invite 
no criticism upon our work as a rhetorical essay, or 
in a literary point of view. 

It has been written entirely during odd hours 
snatched from business pursuits, and its text must be 
very imperfect. In its composition we have endeav- 
ored to be as brief and concise as possible, knowing 
well that by the majority of people in this hurry- 
ing age the wheat will be considered more valuable 
without the chaff than with it. Ideas of value are 
wanted. We have endeavored to supply them. 

If, after a careful perusal, the reader agrees with us 
in thinking that the knowledge herein contained is 
worth to him more than the price of the volume, he 
must rest abundantly satisfied with his investment. 

We are aware that more printed paper may be ob- 
tained elsewhere for less money than in this instance. 



4 PREFACE. 

But that argues nothing. Good milk may be ob- 
tained at a far less cost for a given quantity than 
cream or butter. We charge for the ideas, which are 
our own, and not for the paper on which they are 
printed, or the covers which contain them. The lat- 
ter are easily obtainable, the former are not. If you 
buy a pound of sugar for a shilling and the mer- 
chant sends it to you in a china bowl, you will thank 
him for the bowl rather than grumble because he did 
not send a ten-quart pail. 

That all who purchase a copy of this work may be 
enabled to profit by its teachings, an hundred-fold 
upon their investment, is the sincere wish of 

The Author. 



CONTENTS. 



PART FIRST. 



TAGE 



GROWING PLANTS UNDER GLASS, . . . .7 

The Manure Hot-Bed 8 

Fire Hot-Beds, 8 

Cost of Sash, . 15 

Cotton Sheeting for Covers, . . . . . .IS 

Shutters, 16 

Use of "Flats," 16 

Small BDxes for Single Plants, . . . . 17 

Planting Early Cabbage Seeds, ..... 18 

Soil for Hot-Beds, 20 

Temperature, ......... 22 

Air and Light, ........ 22 

Damping off, . . . . . . . , .22 

Watering, ......... 23 

Cauliflower and Celery Plants, ..... 24 

Tomato, Pepper, and Egg Plants, . . . 24 

Lettuce, .24 

Sowing Fine Seeds, ... ... 24 

Transplanting, ..... . 26 

Assorting, 28 

Mice — Preventing Depredations, 28 

Cold Frames, . . ... . . . 29 

Sweet Potato Plants, 29 



CONTENTS. 



PART SECOND. 

PAGB 

GROWING PLANTS IN THE OPEN GROUND, . 36 

Cabbage Plants 36 

Club Root, 40 

The Cabbage Maggot, ..".... 42 

The Striped Flea Beetle, ...... 44 

Our Preventive, ........ 46 

The Radish Maggot, . 53 

The Use of Lime, 55 

Plaster or Gypsum 56 

Special or Commercial Fertilizers, . . .57 

Preparing Ground for Cabbage Plants. . . . 60 

Cultivation, . . 63 

Transplanting, .64 

Varieties, .65 

The Cut Worm, ........ 71 

The Green Worm, 72 

Salting Cabbage, ... 75 

Watering Plants in the Seed-Bed 77 

Celery Plants, 77 

Asparagus Plants, 80 

Strawberry Plants, 82 

Setting the Plants, 85 

Packing Plants for Transportation, .... 87 

Care on Arrival, .... . ... 89 

Growing Squashes, ........ 90 

The Potato 94 

Notes on the Newer Varieties, 94 

Early Varieties, 97 

Late Varieties 99 



PART FIRST. 



GROWING PLANTS UNDER GLASS. 

In this broad and fair but fickle and undu- 
lating clime, where Dame Nature's promises 
of flowery spring - time are so frequently 
frowned upon by a polar wave, which drives 
the life-blood back to the very heart of every 
unprotected living thing, some kind of pro- 
tection from the lingering wintry blasts is an 
absolute necessity to every grower of early 
garden vegetables, whether he be a producer 
of them in large quantities for market pur- 
poses, or only seeks to supply his own table 
with early delicacies, or his garden with 
plants which are to be the germs of future 
substantiate. Some kind of protection from 
the cold above, and an addition to the natu- 
ral warmth below the growing plants, is 
required ; and to meet this end, the heat 
which is developed by the slow combustion 
of vegetable matter or the decomposition of 



8 A MANUAL OF 

stable manures has generally been the ac- 
cepted means of accomplishing the desired 
object. 

The Manure Hot-bed has been so fre- 
quently described, and the best manner of 
constructing it so fully dwelt upon by all 
the principal agricultural journals, works on 
gardening, and seed catalogues, which have 
been freely scattered over the land, that we 
deem a description of it altogether unneces- 
sary in our present work, especially as we 
think that the day of using manure for fuel 
will soon be known only in the recollections 
of the past. The inestimable value which we, 
as tillers of the soil, long ago learned to 
put upon manure for plant food, and the 
cheapness with which the desired amount of 
heat could be produced from the more natu- 
ral article of fuel, coal, led us to experiment 
in this direction, with the result of several 
years ago abolishing our manure-beds and 
depending entirely upon our Fire Hot-beds 
for producing winter headed lettuce and 
vegetable plants for early spring use. In- 
deed, our labors in this direction have given 
us such unbounded satisfaction, and we find 
that the use of such structures is so illy un- 



VEGETABLE PLANTS. 9 

derstood by the gardeners of our country, 
that we will proceed to describe a fire hot- 
bed in its simplest form, such a one as may 
be constructed by any farmer or gardener of 
ordinary intelligence entirely with his own 
hands, the only outlay necessary more than in 
the construction of a common manure-bed 
being for brick of which to build the furnace, 
and the pipes for constructing the flue. The 
bed should be built on ground having a natural 
rise of about one foot in twenty, at least. We 
have constructed them with a rise of one foot 
in every ten, in length of bed, for fifty feet, and 
then turned at a right angle and run twenty- 
five feet with scarcely any rise at all, the flue 
terminating in a wooden chimney twelve feet 
high, and with no trouble for draught. The 
warmest part of such a bed is at the angle, 
fifty feet from the fire, as the heat readily 
ascends to that point. It will be understood 
that these beds differ but little in appearance 
from a common manure-bed. A trench is exca- 
vated six feet in width, about two feet in depth, 
and of any desired length, say from twenty-five 
to seventy-five feet, or perhaps even longer, 
though we believe that to be sufficient for one 
tire. At the lower end of this excavation the 



IO A MANUAL OF 

furnace is built, in the simplest manner, of 
brick; and the fire id heat flue, through 
which the draught and smoke pass, runs up 
through the centre of the trench. Stakes, made 
of 3 by 4-inch scantling, are driven along the 
sides of the trench at intervals of eight feet, 
and it is then boarded up on the inside of the 
stakes to a height of three feet on the north or 
back side, and two and one-half on the front, 
which should be the south side, in order that it 
may lie to the sun and be sheltered from the 
north winds. The cross sleepers for the floor 
should now be placed. Near the furnace, where 
the pipes get very hot, the floor should be at 
least twelve inches above the pipes, but after 
getting twenty feet from the furnace it may be 
gradually lowered to within two or three inches, 
care being taken to keep the distance great 
enough to permit a free circulation of air over 
the pipes. Above the floor we are to have 
space for six inches or more of soil, and eight 
to sixteen inches between the soil and glass for 
growth of plants. More than this amount 
will be found unnecessary, and, in fact, dam- 
aging, as the whole structure should be kept as 
low as possible, in order to economize warmth. 
The spaces between the side boarding and earth 



VEGETABLE PLANTS. II 

at the sides of the trench should be entirely- 
filled with dry forest-i- IB /es or some other good 
non-conductor. Common 3 by 6 feet sashes 
are used crosswise of the bed, precisely as on a 
manure-bed. Perhaps the only part that needs 
further description is the furnace. Ours have 
been constructed, in the simplest manner, of 
common brick, but, of course, fire-brick would 
be more lasting. The height of the fireplace 
is two feet, ten inches of this being below the 
grate-bars for an ash-pit, and fourteen above 
the grate for fire. The width necessary for the 
fireplace of a bed of the above size is twelve 
inches. 

The grate-bars are each cast separately, and 
are about thirty inches in length, which form 
the depth of the furnace from front to rear. 
Eight of these bars are required, each occupy- 
ing a space of one and a half inches. Imme- 
diately back of the furnace there should be 
a rise of six or eight inches, to prevent ashes 
and cinders from being drawn up into the pipes. 
The best article for pipes is the common terra- 
cotta, which is manufactured and used exten- 
sively as a substitute for brick chimneys in 
dwellings. We have found it necessary to con- 
struct the first ten feet of the flue of brick, as 



12 A MANUAL OP 

the sudden heating of the pipes, so near the 
furnace, is quite sure to crack them. Common 
drain-tile may be safely used at a little distance 
from the fire, and is cheaper than terra-cotta 
ware. The pipes, of whatever construction, 
should be at least six inches in inside diameter. 
Good terra-cotta pipes of this size can be pur- 
chased in our vicinity at about twenty-five 
cents per running foot, and in this item con- 
sists the main cost of this kind of a bed over 
a common manure-bed. Of fuel, we have the 
advantage over many sections of country, in 
being near enough the anthracite-coal region 
to enable us to procure a supply at very small 
cost. We have, however, found one ton of 
chestnut coal amply sufficient to run a bed 
seventy-five feet in length for six weeks, and 
there are few sections of country in which the 
cost of coal is so great as to compare with the 
value of a sufficient quantity of horse manure, 
capable of producing the same amount of heat. 
When using manure for a bed of this size, we 
found that, to produce a good and lasting heat, 
at least one wagon-load for each 3 by 6 sash 
was required. This would cost here at least $2 
per load, which, for the twenty-five sashes re- 
quired to cover the seventy-five feet of bed, 



VEGETABLE PLANTS. 1 3 

would amount to $50, which is much more 
than the cost of constructing the furnace-bed, 
including cost of pipes. 

So we contend that a bed of this construction 
is cheaper, even for the first year of use, than the 
common manure-beds ; while, in after years, 
when manure-beds have to be refilled entirely, 
at as great cost as at first, the fire-beds are 
ready to start any day desired, at no cost what- 
ever. Of course, the spent manure taken from 
a hot-bed can be used for fertilizing the soil, 
but in most instances it is so fire-fanged and 
burned out as to be of comparatively little 
value. 

The time and care required in attending a 
fire-bed is no more than in those of the com- 
mon construction. A fierce, hot fire is not 
required. In moderate weather we have found 
it necessary to replenish the fuel but two or 
three times per day, a slow and gentle, but 
long-continued development of heat being all 
that is required. For the purpose of keeping 
a good supply of warm water for watering the 
growing plants, we place a large pan or kettle 
over the fireplace. 

As it will not do to use cold water, which 
would chill and injure the plants, early in the 



14 A MANUAL OF 

season, the importance of having this supply 
of warm water at hand will readily be appre- 
ciated. This furnace is covered or enclosed by 
a small building, which should be shut off by 
a partition from the plant-beds beyond, as but 
little heat is developed in the furnace-room. 
If the steam from the heating water can be 
conducted into the beds, its presence will be 
desirable, as the fire heat has a tendency to dry 
out the beds rapidly, and this tendency is over- 
come by the moisture from the condensing 
steam. It is well, also, to keep a small dish of 
water standing on the heat -pipe, the arising 
vapors from which serve the same purpose. 

In sections where coal cannot be obtained 
cheaply enough to enable the gardener to 
make use of a ton for this purpose, hard wood 
may, of course, be substituted, with the single 
disadvantage of the additional time and care 
thus entailed upon attending the fire. 

One great advantage, of which we have not 
yet spoken, that the fire-bed has over a ma- 
nure-bed, is the ease with which the tempera- 
ture may be regulated to conform to the ever- 
changing external temperature. 

When a sudden cold snap, with its howling 
north winds, comes down upon the manager 



VEGETABLE PLANTS. 1 5 

of the manure-beds, his only hope of escape is 
to closely cover all his beds with blanket and 
mat, for it is beyond his power to increase the 
intensity of the heat ; but with the fire-bed, 
how different ! All that is necessary, on all 
ordinary occasions, is to increase the fire upon 
the evening of the coldest nights. Indeed, we 
have found the use of straw mats almost un- 
necessary, if the sashes fit as closely as they 
should, and the sides are properly banked and 
filled with dry leaves to prevent the escape of 
heat. 

Cost of Sash. — Good 3 by 6 hot-bed sash, 
glazed and painted, ready for use, can now be 
bought at Binghamton, N. Y., at $2.25 each. 
This is the most expensive item in the con- 
struction of any ho .-bed, but it is an expense 
that cannot well be avoided. Various substi- 
tutes have been devised for the glass, but, so 
far as we have experimented, without avail. 

Good Cotton Sheeting will sometimes an- 
swer a very good purpose for late use, after the 
danger of very cold weather has passed ; but 
its use is attended with considerable annoy- 
ance, and, although cheaper in the beginning, 
it has, with us, proved more expensive in the 
end, as it will last but very few years. 



l6 A MANUAL OF 

Shutters.— If glass sashes cannot be af- 
forded in sufficient quantity to cover the de- 
sired area, we prefer light basswood shutters 
to the use of cloth. These are made exactly 
the size of the sashes in use, and are alternated 
with them, care being taken to change the 
position every day, so the glass will cover the 
space which was covered on the previous day 
by the shutter, that no part of the bed will 
suffer for want of light. These shutters will 
be found very useful in covering the glass 
frames on cold nights, and also in shading 
them during intensely sunny weather. 

Use of Flats. — We have used both a solid 
floor in the bottom of the bed, on which the 
soil is placed to a depth of six or eight inches, 
and movable " flats," which are best and cheap- 
est made of soap or saleratus boxes sawed in two 
pieces. When these are used, np other floor is 
necessary, only a series of cross sleepers on 
which to rest the edges of the boxes. For some 
kinds of plants there is much gained in the 
use of such boxes, as they enable the operator 
to readily shift the growing plants to a cooler 
or hotter position in the bed, as may be re- 
quired. These "flats" are also desirable when 
selling early plants in the market, as they re- 



VEGETABLE PLANTS. I 7 

main fresh and vigorous for several days, and 
need not have the roots disturbed, until sold 
to the planter. 

Smaller Boxes. — The latest device for 
safety in transplanting is the use of small boxes, 
but three or four inches square, and without 
bottom. They are formed of four pieces of 
thin wood, dovetailed together after the man- 
ner of the well-known Crandall's Building 
Blocks for Children. These boxes fit closely 
together, and a single plant is transplanted 
into each box. When ready to plant out in 
the garden, the sides are taken off and the soil 
placed in the ground without in the least dis- 
turbing the roots. These blocks occupy but 
little room when packed away, and answer the 
desired purpose very nicely. They are the in- 
vention of Mr. Crandall, and are sold through 
his general agents, the Orange Judd Company, 
of New York, and can probably be supplied 
by most seedsmen in retail quantities. 

In most sections of this country it will pay 
the gardener well to grow a crop of head-let- 
tuce in his beds during winter. Even two 
crops may be grown, but the ground cannot 
well be cleared in spring in time for starting 



I 8 A MANUAL OF 

a good supply of cabbage and tomato plants 
after the second. 

Early-Cabbage Seeds will be the first to 
be sown in hot-beds in spring, especially if none 
are wintered over in cold frames, and north of 
the latitude of New York, as a general rule, it 
is considered more risky and troublesome to 
winter them over than to grow them in hot- 
beds in spring. The seeds are generally sown 
about the middle of February. 

Never sow broadcast, but always in drills 
about four inches apart, and thinly enough so 
the plants will not crowd each other and grow 
spindling. It seems hardly necessary to urge 
the importance of selecting the very best qual- 
ity of seeds obtainable. If the seeds are in 
any way inferior, all the labor of planting and 
attending the crop, with its attendant risks, is 
lost. Indeed, we can think of no parallel case 
in which a supposed saving may result in 
greater loss and waste than in sowing seeds 
which you have the slightest idea may be infe- 
rior, if those above suspicion can be obtained 
at any price. Still this rule should not be so 
rigidly adhered to as to suppose that the 
dealer or grower who charges the greatest 
price must necessarily have the best article, for 



VEGETABLE PLANTS. 1 9 

competition has brought the price of nearly all 
seeds very low at present. 

Covering. — Cabbage seed should be cov- 
ered from one-fourth to one-half inch in depth, 
and to insure its rapid germination the surface 
soil should be firmed, or pressed down, so as 
to lie compactly around the seeds. 

Varieties. — There are so many varieties of 
early cabbage to be found in the various 
catalogues, that the planter of but little expe- 
rience is quite at a loss to know which to se- 
lect. Yet among them all there are a few so 
far above the majority in actual worth, that we 
will speak only of what we consider the very 
best. For earliest use, the Early Jersey 
Wakefield is still regarded as the standard. 
Hendersons Early Stcmmer, though not quite 
as early as the Wakefield, is so far ahead of it 
in size that most gardeners who have tested it 
now prefer to await the difference in time, as 
it is by far the largest very early cabbage 
grown. 

True, there are varieties earlier than the 
Wakefield, and some may differ with us in 
classing it as earliest. The Early Y 
others are undoubtedly earlier, but as 



2C A MANUAL OF 

at their best a mere handful of leaves, we can 
see no pleasure or profit in growing them. 

Next in order of ripening to Henderson's 
Summer comes the well-known Early Win- 
nigstadt, and closely following this the Fott- 
lers Early Drumhead, which, for a general- 
purpose cabbage, we consider the best the 
world has yet seen. There may be other early 
varieties which have more merit than these 
four, but if there are such, we have not yet 
seen them. We have a field of cabbage this 
season containing forty-five early and late 
varieties. A report of their comparative 
merits may be found in the latter pages of 
this work. 

Soil for Hot-Beds. — A great mistake made 
by many novices in gardening is to use soil in 
hot-beds which is too heavy, so that the fre- 
quent waterings pack it down tightly, and the 
hot sun bakes it so hard that nothing can 
grow in it as it ought. The soil for this pur- 
pose should be much lighter and looser than 
common garden soil usually is. 

How to obtain it. — When working ma- 
nure-beds, it was our usual custom to throw 
out the dirt each summer as soon as through 
with the beds for the season, and shovel out 



VEGETABLE PLANTS. 21 

with the soil a large portion of the underlying 
manure. This mixture was left in a conical 
pile which was covered up with fresh stable 
manure in the fall, which kept the frost out, 
and allowed it to decompose and decay suffi- 
ciently to become fine, loose mould by spring. 
It can be manufactured in a similar manner 
for use in the fire-beds. Sandy soil and 
manure are placed in alternate layers, and "built 
up into a conical pile which is left for one 
year.* Then, when cut down and mixed over 
thoroughly, it is in an admirable condition for 
use. If it is thought necessary to use a fertil- 
izer in the beds, we have generally found it the 
safest and best course to apply it in a liquid 
form by mixing a little hen manure, or guano 
in the water with which they are sprinkled. 
If the soil has plenty of well-rotted manure in 
its composition, there is usually but little use 
of further enriching it. 

Considerable caution is necessary about 
applying strong fertilizers, or special man- 
ures, such as phosphates, guano, etc., to the 
surface of the beds. The area is so small, and 
the desire to have the work well done so 
strong, that it is frequently overdone to such 
an extent that the germs are killed outright 



22 A MANUAL OF 

before they see daylight, and then the seller of 
the seeds is lucky if he does not have to shoul- 
der the blame and receive the charge of sell- 
ing stale seeds. 

Temperature. — Every hot-bed should have 
one or more thermometers for showing at all 
times the temperature of the bed, for it is ne- 
cessary to the health of the plants that it does 
not vary too much. Considerable variation is 
allowable. The mercury may run from time 
to time from 50 to 8o° as extremes, though 
the mean, which is 65 °, should be as closely 
kept as possible. 

Air and Light. — The influence of light 
and air is fully as necessary to healthy plant- 
growth as it is to animals. If kept from 
the light and air, a plant grows pale and spin- 
dling ; still it is at all times necessary to guard 
against too sudden an admission of air of a 
different temperature from that within, as such 
a change, or perhaps a continuance of a very 
warm and wet atmosphere, with an occasional 
admission of cold air, tends to produce what 
is known as 

11 Damping Off " of the plants. This is a 
shrivelling or wasting away of the body of the 
plant just above the surface of the ground un- 



VEGETABLE PLANTS. 23 

til but a mere thread is left, which continues 
to support the plant with considerable vitality 
for some time, but finally effects its ruin. 
This disease is seldom seen, however, except 
among plants which have grown too rapidly 
for their own good and have been at times 
kept too warm. 

Watering. — Although the covering of glass 
holds the moisture from escaping as vapor to a 
considerable extent, the shallowness of the soil 
will not enable it to hold water for a great 
length of time during sunny weather, and the 
beds have to receive an artificial watering fre- 
quently. The best time to perform this work 
is about four o'clock in the afternoon. 

Pumps. — The nicest manner of accomplish- 
ing this is by use of a small force-pump and 
sprinkler, which latter is but a small thumb- 
nozzle on the end of a short hose, through 
which the water is thrown after being drawn 
by the pump from a pail. The pump known 
as Page's does good work, but is constructed 
of tin, and is consequently not very durable. 
One manufactured by W. & B. Douglas, Mid- 
dletown, Ct, which retails at $9, is the best 
and most durable article of this kind we have 
yet seen. The great advantage these have over 



24 A MANUAL OF 

the more common method of sprinkling with 
a watering-pot is in doing away with the ne- 
cessity of removing the sash at each operation. 
With the pump, the sash has only to be raised 
a few inches in front and the end of the hose 
introduced, to give the whole surface a com- 
plete wetting with a fine spray. 

Cauliflower and Celery Plants require 
about the same temperature and general treat- 
ment as cabbage. Beds containing these plants 
should be kept rather cool, say below 6o°. 

Tomato, Pepper, and Egg Plants should 
never be kept in the same beds with the cab- 
bage, but partitions should separate them, so 
that the tomatoes, etc., can be kept 15 or 20 
warmer than cabbage. 

Lettuce should be classed with cabbage 
and all other hardy plants as regards the 
proper temperature, while most flowering 
plants are about half-hardy, and require about 
the same as tomatoes. The main crop of cel- 
ery plants is generally planted out in open 
ground ; but for early use a few may be planted 
to advantage along the front side of the bed 
where it is partly shaded, as celery revels in a 
moist, half-shady situation. 

Sowing fine seeds is an operation in which 



VEGETABLE PLANTS. 25 

a little ignorance frequently leads to much dis- 
appointment. By fine seeds we mean such as 
celery and the seeds of various flowering plants, 
which are so very small that, if covered with 
soil to any considerable depth, they will not 
germinate ; and on the other hand, if left on 
the surface, they will soon become too dry to 
sprout. Hence many failures are made, and 
the seeds are frequently suspected of lacking 
vitality, when the fault really lies in the bad 
manner in which they were planted. Such 
seeds should be sown upon fresh, moist soil, 
and little or no covering, save, perhaps, a slight 
brushing of the surface, given them. The 
proper conditions for stimulating vitality must 
be brought about by properly firming, or press- 
ing the surface soil around the seed, and a 
proper degree of moisture and light must be 
kept until the plant has taken root. One of 
the best modes of accomplishing these ends is 
to sow the seeds in slight depressions, or drills, 
then brush a very slight amount of soil over 
them, water the surface well with a fine spray, 
and then cover it by laying directly upon the 
soil a pane of glass or a piece of cotton sheet- 
ing. It must then be watched, and this cover- 
ing left only until the seeds have sprouted and 



26 A MANUAL OF 

the first little root started downwards. The 
coverings are then removed, frequent but small 
waterings given, and, if the weather is sunny, 
a partial shade placed over the beds to prevent 
the tender plants being scorched in their earli- 
est infancy. 

Transplanting. — This is one of the most 
important of all hot-bed operations. An abun- 
dance of good, fine, fibrous roots cannot be 
obtained without several times transplanting 
the young plants. Different species of plants 
are, of course, benefited to a different degree 
by this operation. For instance, the cabbage 
and kindred plants only require room to 
develop roots and grow in a natural, short, 
and stocky form ; hence only one removal from 
the crowded seed-bed to new quarters, where 
they are two or three inches distant from each 
other, is all they require to produce good 
plants, while tomatoes and other plants of 
similar habits throw out new roots readily, 
wherever the stem is covered with soil ; hence, 
if frequently removed, and each time not only 
given more room to spread, but each time set 
deeper in the soil than formerly, an astonish- 
ing amount of fibrous roots may be obtained, 
and the more numerous the fibres in propor- 



VEGETABLE PLANTS. 2J 

tion to the amount of top, the more valuable 
is a plant considered when ready to plant out 
in its final stand in the field. For these rea- 
sons, in order to produce strictly first-class 
tomato plants, it is considered necessary that 
they be transplanted two or three times before 
being offered for sale or planted out. 

To do this work correctly and rapidly is no 
mean accomplishment, for it will not bear 
slighting. Here is one of the advantages of 
having the young plants in flats, as above 
described, as they can be taken out of the beds, 
placed upon a table, and the operator allowed 
to sit in a natural position while transplanting 
into other flats or boxes which are put in a 
suitable place in .the bed. Where these are 
not used, but a solid, floor, covered by a con- 
tinuous bed of dirt, instead, the transplanting 
becomes a more laborious business ; but this 
method has one advantage, at least, in its favor ; 
that is, a greater depth of soil can be used than 
can be handled readily in flats, hence less 
watering, and less liability to dry out rapidly 
when not closely watched. In transplanting 
in a permanent or immovable bed, the opera- 
tor lies upon his breast on a wide board which 
spans the bed crosswise, A thin strip of 



28 A MANUAL OF 

siding, a little less in length than the width of 
the bed, is sharpened to an edge on one of its 
sides. This is forced into the soil to the depth 
the plants are expected to require ; a row of 
plants is then placed in this groove, at a proper 
distance apart, and the soil placed firmly 
against them. Care must be taken that they 
are placed straight or upright ; for if laid over 
horizontally, they must necessarily grow 
crooked. The distance apart will depend 
upon the size of the plant and length of time 
it is expected to remain before another re- 
moval. 

Assorting. — Before pricking them out in 
this manner, it is always well to assort the 
plants, placing those of eq-ual size together, 
otherwise the more vigorous will overreach 
and crowd the weaker ones to their permanent 
injury. As soon as the bed is filled, a copious 
watering should be given and the bed shaded 
for a day or more. The shutters previously 
described are very useful for shading ; and late 
in the season, when the sun's rays become 
powerful under the glasses, it is frequently 
found necessary to cover the glass with a thick 
coating of common lime whitewash. 

Mice, both the common house species and 



VEGETABLE PLANTS. 20. 

also the meadow mouse, and the white-bellied, 
jumping, or woods mouse, are very apt to take 
up their abode in a hot-bed, the warmth afford- 
ing a very agreeable protection to them at this 
season of the year. They are sure to manifest 
their presence by digging up the seeds which 
the gardener has sown and burrowing in the 
soil among the plants. The safest remedy we 
know, is to set a good trap for them at the 
time of making the bed, so as to greet 
them upon first arrival. If allowed to get 
possession in any considerable numbers, poi- 
soning will probably have to be resorted to. 

Cold Frames. — The final transplanting of 
hot-bed plants, previous to their being placed 
in the field, should consist of a removal into 
cold frames, which are externally the same as 
hot-beds, but differ from them in not being 
supplied with artificial bottom heat, the glass 
sashes giving them all the protection necessary ; 
and after they have become accustomed to the 
new quarters, the covering is dispensed with 
by degrees, and the plants are thus " hardened 
off," so that their growth may not be suddenly 
checked when planted out in the open field. 

Sweet-Potato Plants. — The sweet potato 
is not extensively raised north of forty degrees 



30 A MANUAL OF 

north latitude ; still by setting good strong 
plants of the earliest varieties, by the first of 
June, 0:1 rich, sandy ridges, fair crops of good 
tubers may be obtained for home use, and the 
demand for plants is sufficient to warrant a 
dealer in vegetable plants in keeping at least a 
few thousand in supply. There arc growers 
no farther south than central Ohio who make 
the production of sweet-potato plants almost 
a sole business, and annually sell hundreds of 
thousands of them. North of this latitude, the 
variety which has given the greatest satisfac- 
tion in the past is the Early Nansemond. This 
variety has been kept for years in northern 
Ohio, where the sweet potato is profitably 
grown, although at quite a high latitude. It 
has therefore become acclimated, and will pro- 
bably do better at the north when planted 
from these northern-grown tubes than if the 
seed was brought from the south. A new 
variety has lately been introduced, called the 
Early Peabody, which is claimed to be at least 
ten days earlier than the Nansemond, while at 
the same time it grows larger and is of excel- 
lent quality. If, upon further trial, all these 
claims are sustained, it certainly will prove a 
very valuable acquisition to northern planters. 



VEGETABLE PLANTS. 3 I 

For raising plants, medium or small-sized 
tubers are usually selected. As they require 
a high temperature and dry atmosphere to 
keep well over winter, it is difficult to succeed 
in keeping them sound without having all the 
appliances for making a special business of it, 
and keeping in large quantities. The proper 
temperature for successfully keeping them is 
from fifty to sixty-five degrees. If exposed to 
a temperature of only forty degrees, they will 
be liable to rot, especially if not perfectly dry. 

On these accounts it is generally found the 
best policy for northern growers who want but 
a few bushels to purchase them, when wanted 
in spring, of some one who makes a specialty 
of keeping them. Mr. W. W. Rathbone, of 
Marietta, Ohio, is in this business, and seed 
from him will do well in every respect at the 
north. 

The large potatoes to be found in our city 
markets every fall and spring are not fit for 
seed for northern planting, for two reasons : 
first, they are too large and contain too few 
eyes ; and secondly, they are usually of late 
varieties which can only be matured at the 
south. It takes about four weeks' time after 
bedding the potatoes in spring to get the first 



32 A MANUAL OF 

crop of plants, or sets ; consequently, if they 
are to be sprouted in manure-beds, calculations 
must be made to get the bed in good working 
order, and ready to bed the tubers by the mid- 
dle of April. This will bring the first crop of 
plants by the middle of May and the second 
crop by the first of June. The first crop can 
then be pulled off and transplanted in another 
bed, where they will continue to grow so as 
to be stout and well rooted by first of June. 
There is little if anything to be gained in set- 
ting them out in the field before that time, as 
the soil must be warm for them to grow. The 
forcing-bed is made of a layer of about three 
inches of a light, sandy loam, which is improved 
by mixing with it a quantity of light leaf- 
mould. On this the potatoes are laid thickly 
in rows side by side. Those over one inch in 
diameter are cut in two lengthwise, and laid 
with cut side up. The bedding must be done 
during a warm sunny afternoon, for, as we have 
said, they are easily chilled, and more easily 
injured than would be supposed. They are 
covered with one and a half or two inches of 
the same material which underlies them. If 
this soil can be mixed with coal-dust, dry black 
muck, or even buckwheat hulls, it will help to 



VEGETABLE PLANTS. 33 

loosen it, and, in addition, the sun's rays will 
to a greater extent be absorbed on account of 
the dark color of the surface, and the bed con- 
sequently be made warmer. It is not neces- 
sary to cover these beds entirely with glass. 
The shutters, already described, may be made 
to do good service here, and the amount of 
glass at command made to go twice as far. 
The plants should not be pulled until they 
are quite well rooted, and if they can then be 
transplanted into another bed for a couple of 
weeks, they will be greatly improved, though 
few of the sweet-potato plants offered for sale 
are transplanted. Care must be exercised in 
pulling, or separating the plant from the tuber, 
not to displace the tuber or break off the sprouts 
which may have started for a second crop. 

As this work may fall into the hands of 
many readers who may desire to try growing a 
few sweet potatoes at the north, a few words 
on the subject of setting the plants, and the 
treatment of them, though hardly within the 
scope of the work, may not be entirely out 
of place. Never lose sight of the fact that 
the sweet potato is, by nature, a semi-tropical 
plant ; therefore everything you can do to in- 



34 A MANUAL OF 

crease the warmth of the soil in which it is 
grown should be done. 

When the plants are ready, and the season 
far enough advanced for setting them, do not 
wait for a rain, but proceed with the work. 
Never think of setting them on level — that is, 
unridged — ground, but after thoroughly plough- 
ing and manuring the soil, ridge it up in high, 
narrow ridges. A gravelly loam is best, and, 
as we have said of the soil for the propagating 
beds, if it can be mixed with coal-dust, black 
muck, or some other loosening, dark-colored 
material, which will not only enliven the soil, 
but by its color absorb more of the sun's rays, 
it will help matters wonderfully. 

The ridges are now slightly levelled off at 
top, and will be found in fine order for setting 
the plants, which is easily done by the hand, 
on the ridges, at the distance of about eighteen 
inches apart. The rows, or centres of ridges, 
should be three feet apart, so that horse culti- 
vation can be given. These ridges are not to 
be worked down in after-cultivation, but left 
with straight or nearly perpendicular sides, so 
that the sun can warm them through. If set 
on the level surface, the vines will grow luxu- 
riantly enough, but will shade the soil and. 



VEGETABLE PLANTS. 35 

keep it too cool to produce good tubers. With 
the above system of cultivation, and a selec- 
tion of early varieties, we believe that the 
sweet potato is capable of being grown with 
profit even as far north as central and western 
New York. A soil containing a large pro- 
portion of coarse gravel-stones, with a general 
tendency to sandiness, we have found far pref- 
erable for growing good specimens of sweet 
potatoes to one whose base is clay. 



PART SECOND. 



PLANTS IN THE OPEN GROUND. 

Cabbage Plants. — One of the most diffi- 
cult and vexing parts of all garden operations 
is to secure a good supply of healthy, growing 
plants. Indeed, after this feat is accomplished, 
if the soil is sufficiently enriched, in the right 
mechanical condition, and the proper cultiva- 
tion given, there is little left for a man to do 
but to harvest a bountiful crop. 

Nine tenths of the failures in this branch of 
business are directly assignable to some mis- 
management in the first stages of the plants' 
growth, and as in all animal nature, a disease or 
injury contracted in infancy, though perhaps 
for a long time latent, may finally develop into 
complete ruin. The general ignorance which 
exists throughout this country on the subject 
of insects and diseases from which the cabbage 
is ^liable to destruction, may be inferred when 



A MANUAL OF VEGETABLE PLANTS. 2>7 

we state that our sales of cabbage plants to 
market gardeners and planters have ranged to 
upwards of eight hundred thousand in a single 
spring. Nearly all the purchasers of these, at 
least all those who bought in large quantities, 
would have grown their own plants, had they 
been satisfied that they could have produced 
as good and healthy plants at home as they 
received from us. In some seasons (the pres- 
ent, 1877, being a remarkable one in this re- 
spect) every thing will be so favorable that in 
many localities plants in abundance can be 
^rown by mere chance, nothing happening to 
attack them to their detriment. But this 
chance cannot be depended upon safely, for in 
a majority of instances it will simply result in 
failure. In how manv thousands of instances 
does a man's experience culminate somewhat 
as follows: 

A man desires to raise a field of cabbage. 
He first consults all the seed catalogues and 
works on gardening in his possession, to ac- 
quaint himself with the best varieties for his 
particular purpose. Having made his selec- 
tion, he dispatches a dollar or two to some 
seedsman of his acquaintance, for his supply 
of fresh seeds. He now begins to see difficul- 



38 A MANUAL OF 

ties looming up in the distance. He knows 
by past experience that if he sows the seeds 
upon the open ground, an arch-enemy awaits 
the coming of the tender plants, in the shape 
of a small flea-beetle. There are several varie- 
ties of this insect, the most destructive to 
cabbage, and in fact to all the Brassica family, 
being the Haltica Striolata, or striped- backed 
flea-beetle, whose ravages, if not suppressed at 
once, will finally end with complete destruc- 
tion to the plant. He therefore follows a 
time-honored, but senseless, custom, and seeks 
to escape this enemy by building a seed-bed 
up a few feet from the ground, on stilts, as it 
were, and by constant watchfulness, coupled 
with frequent applications of lime and plaster- 
dust, he partially succeeds ; and although his 
plants are badly spotted by the " little bugs," 
he keeps them alive, and by frequent waterings 
causes them to make a spindling growth until 
nearly large enough to transplant. Of course 
he boasts of his success, and upon the first 
rainy day prepares for the transplanting into 
his field. But what is his dismay upon pulling 
the first handful to find, instead of the nice 
fibrous roots seen in his imagination, and 
which he knows should exist on healthy plants, 



VEGETABLE PLANTS. 39 

but one long, straight tap-root, which for 
moisture has run down to the very bottom of 
the bed, and perhaps already terminates in a 
bail of fungous growth, which shows that the 
dreaded "club -root" is already asserting its 
claims ! Upon a closer inspection, he finds the 
fibres have been eaten off by a small white 
maggot, numbers of which can be found bur- 
ro vying into the remaining root, and maiming 
it until it can scarcely be made to live at all. 
There is but one wise and safe course left for 
him to follow — which is, to condemn the whole 
lot, and depend for his supply of plants upon 
purchasing of some one who understands the 
management of these difficulties and is glad to 
take advantage of these misfortunes to increase 
his own profits by selling him well-grown, 
healthy plants. 

This picture is not overdrawn. Hundreds 
of men have come to us to rehearse the sub- 
stance of the above, evidently thinking such 
troubles were unknown to us, as we always had 
a supply of plants which had an abundance of 
roots, and proved to remain healthy when 
transported to other grounds. Indeed, from 
the many failures which are continually being 
reported to us in this direction, we have come to 



40 A MANUAL OF 

believe that not more than one half the cabbage 
seeds sold in this country ever produce plants 
which live to become of sufficient size for set- 
ting in the field. The main crop of cabbage is 
produced from plants which are set during 
June and July, and at this hot season of the year 
it is with considerable difficulty that plants 
can be conveyed by express long distances, 
even with packing carefully ; and the carrier's 
charges are so high, that on purchased plants 
the first cost is frequently doubled or even 
trebled by the time they reach the planter. 

Knowing all these difficulties, we hope and 
trust that every purchaser of this work will be 
abundantly satisfied by our showing him how 
to overcome and remedy them, inasmuch as 
we do it at the risk of decreasing our own 
plant trade. Now, in order to come at this 
subject understanding^ to our readers, we shall 
have to follow it up in a sort of backward way, 
after stating that the three evils above pic- 
tured — viz., Club-root, White Maggot, and 
Flea-beetle — are dependent upon each other, in 
the order named, for their own existence. 

Club-root is an unnatural enlargement, of 
a spongy or fungoid character, of the root of 
the plant. It is not confined to the cabbage, 



VEGETABLE PLANTS. 4 1 

but is frequently developed in cauliflowers, 
turnips, and indeed in all the members of the 
Brassica or cabbage family. So far as our 
knowledge extends, there is no curt for this 
malady ; for after it makes its appearance upon 
a plant, it increases in size until it so seriously 
affects the circulation of the sap, that the 
plant wilts, turns yellow, and finally dies — a 
slow death, but one as sure as that of an animal 
on which a vampire has settled and sucked its 
life-blood away. But we believe there is a 
prevention, which is infinitely better than the 
best of cures, for a cure must be preceded by an 
attack of the disease, which cannot take place 
without injury. So far as our extended obser- 
vations have shown, the enlargement called 
club -root is primarily caused by the root 
being mutilated by an insect. There may be 
different insects capable of bringing about 
the same result, if each burrow into and mu- 
tilate the root in the same manner and to the 
same extent ; but allowing this to be the case, 
it will readily be admitted that the one that is 
the most common cause, the one that is cul- 
pable in the main, is the one which most se- 
riously engages our attention. This we believe 
to be none other than 



4-2 A MANUAL OF 

The Cabbage Maggot. — This is the same 
little miscreant which we have already alluded 
to, which gets into the plant-beds and eats the 
fibrous roots off the growing plants, leaving 
only the one tap-root, which, in order to make 
a desperate effort to sustain the plant alone, 
runs down two or three times its natural 
length, and, if it be fortunate enough to escape 
the fungoid Club-root, may put out new fibres 
from its sides, after being removed from the 
vicinity of its parasitic enemies, the maggots. 
But the chances are against it ; the Fates have 
thrown their arms around it, and, in the major- 
ity of instances, its future course is downward, 
its doom is sealed. 

"Well," once exclaimed a well-informed 
market-gardener, who is certainly a closer 
reasoner upon most subjects than the habits of 
insects, " when your soil gets as full of those 
little white worms as mine is, you will have to 
stop growing cabbage plants." And, indeed, 
he is not the only man who has fallen into the 
error of supposing, or taking it for granted, 
that because these worms make their appear- 
ance in his plant-beds that they previously 
existed in his soil as naturally as " angle-worms," 
and that to escape their ravages he must find 



VEGETABLE PLANTS. 43 

some spot where they are not in the soil, or 
" burn them out " by building a large fire upon 
the spot to be occupied ! Misguided mortal ! 
Does he forget that " where the carrion is there 
will the ravens be " ? that it is Nature's law 
to place her subjects, great or small, where the 
food and surroundings are congenial to them ? 
Is it not easier to suppose that these little 
worms or maggots are bred upon the roots of 
the plant which is most suitable to their life 
and purposes ? Such we find to be the case, 
not merely in theory, but in proven fact. 

This brings us to the question, From whence 
do they come ? — a question easily answered. 
Why a question so easily solved should remain 
so long in the dark, or why an answer so 
easily suspected should escape a single ob- 
serving mortal, we cannot conjecture ; but 
such has been the case. Can the reader 
think of many instances in which any species 
of maggots are reproductive in themselves ? 
In other words, does a worm lay an egg to 
produce a worm ? Such is not the rule in the 
insect world. 

There are three phases to most insect life. 
First, the perfect insect, which is generally a 
winged insect — a fly, a bug, a beetle, or a mil- 



44 A MANUAL OF 

ler or moth. This knows by instinct an appro- 
priate place to nourish its young, and only in 
such places does it lay its eggs. The eggs 
hatch and bring forth worms, or maggots. 
The honey-bee lays hers within the cells of 
her hive, and her subjects go forth into the 
fields and gather nectar for their sustenance. 
The skipper-fly selects for her breeding ground 
the crevices of a rich old cheese, and depends 
upon its strength and substance for support. 
Should either lack the God-given instinct 
which enables it to select a congenial spot, its 
species would become extinct. 

We are now ready for the information that 
the parent of our little cabbage maggot is none 
other than one to whom we have already been 
introduced, the Striped Flea-beetle. There- 
fore, if we would escape the maggot, and 
through it the club-root, we must, from the 
beginning, keep our plants free from the 
attacks of these voracious plant-eaters, the 
striped flea-beetles. They are very destructive 
to the young plants of the cabbage family, are 
known by various names, such as turnip-fly, 
radish-fly, etc., but more properly as Haltica 
Striola ta, or flea-beetle. 

There are two species very common in this 



VEGETABLE PLANTS. 45 

country, one being entirely black and one 
having two bright golden or yellow stripes 
upon his back. Their habits are similar. 
When approached they will spring from the 
plant in a true flea-like manner, and, if in 
imagined danger, feign inanimation in a 'pos- 
sum-like manner. This trait of their character 
may readily be taken advantage of by cooping 
in the vicinity of the beds a hen which has a 
good brood of chickens ■ old enough to run 
freely among the plants. The chicks soon 
learn the trick, and make a reality of the feint 
of death by relentlessly swallowing all of them 
which come within their reach ; and as by 
constantly running amongst the plants they 
continually scare them off, we have never dis- 
covered a better remedy for beds already 
infested with them than this ; and were the 
simple eating of the plants the extent of the 
mischief of which they are capable, this rem- 
edy, with perhaps an occasional sprinkling of 
plaster, carbolic powder, soot, or any thing 
distasteful or injurious to them, would be all 
the remedy to be desired. But as we have 
shown that the amount they eat is nothing in 
comparison to the damage following the lay- 
ing of their eggs, with the attendant results. 



46 A MANUAL OF 

you will at once see the importance of keeping 
the seed leaves unspotted by their greedy jaws. 
In order to accomplish this, it is necessary to 
consider that the maggot, after becoming full- 
grown, changes into the pupa state, and re- 
mains in the ground for about two weeks, 
when it again comes forth to continue its 
depredations upon the plant, which by this 
time has grown so large as not to be seriously 
injured by being slightly eaten. So they con- 
tinue to infest plants of the cabbage family 
until fall ; and the last litter for the season 
remaining dormant in the pupa state over 
winter, come forth perfect beetles during the 
first warm days of spring, ready to attack the 
first tender plants which appear. 

Our Preventive will now be readily under- 
stood by every careful reader. By knowing 
where these pests are to abound — which is 
wherever there was a quantity of cabbage, tur- 
nips, radishes, mustard, or any plant which they 
infest, growing during the preceding summer 
and fall — there in early spring may we look for 
the fleas, and as far from there as possible 
must we sow our cabbage and kindred seeds. 
But the insects have wings, and will they not 
go to our beds as soon as the plants are up ? 



VEGETABLE PLANTS. 47 

This is just what we must prevent them 
from doing — a task more easily accomplished 
than may be imagined. We know almost the 
exact spot from which they will come out of 
the ground, so our first care must be to pro- 
vide food for them and keep them there. For 
this purpose we sow, on the ground which was 
occupied the previous summer with cabbage 
and turnips, as early in spring as possible, a 
mixture of cabbage, turnip, and mustard seeds. 
These may be any old, mixed, or doubtful 
seeds, which are always accumulating, and are 
of no particular value. Cheap imported cab- 
bage seeds will here answer an excellent pur- 
pose, as their only use is for bug food, and after 
serving their purpose, are to be ploughed under 
before they breed a second crop. Of course, 
we must expect an instalment of bugs or fleas 
from our neighbors' grounds, if we do not pre- 
vent their coming in some way. 

By sowing our seeds, as we have shown, 
upon soil and in a vicinity not occupied the 
previous season by any vegetation of the kind, 
we have to contend with no fleas except those 
which come from other quarters. Let us now 
inquire what causes them to come, or how 
they are enabled to find our young plants. 



48 A MANUAL OF 

Nature has furnished them with but one 
mode of accomplishing this, and that is by the 
sense of smell. It then follows, that if we in 
some manner destroy or change the natural 
smell of the young plants which we wish to 
protect, no further trouble will result. This 
must be done by creating some other smell 
powerful enough to overcome the scent of the 
cabbage plant. There are several ways of 
accomplishing this. Turpentine, mixed with 
dry plaster, and sprinkled upon the plants as 
soon as they come up, and repeated as often as 
it ceases to send out its peculiar scent, will 
often effectually keep them away. Coal-tar, 
which can be bought at the gas-works for 
$2.50 per barrel, has a very strong, disagreea- 
ble smell, and is probably as cheap as any thing 
which will answer this purpose. It is not 
necessary to put it directly on the plants. If 
a few quarts are spread upon boards and 
placed in the immediate vicinity of the young 
plants it will completely hide the scent of the 
cabbage, and but an occasional chance bug 
will find them, especially if the bugs are fur- 
nished with an abundance of food elsewhere, 
as described above. Remember, the idea is 
not to let them come on the plants, and then 



VEGETABLE PLANTS. 49 

try to drive them off by applying something 
distasteful to them ; but apply the remedy 
even before the plants are up, to screen them 
so they will never be found. In addition to 
these precautions, every thing possible should 
be done in the way of preparing the seed-bed, 
and using fertilizers that will cause the plants 
to come up stout and healthy, with large, green 
seed-leaves, and keep them in condition to 
grow as rapidly as possible, so the third leaf 
may come out before a bug shall find them. 

After the third leaf has made its appearance 
there is generally but little danger of an 
attack, especially if there is a supply of younger 
plants provided for them in the neighborhood. 
The first, or seed-leaves, of the cabbage are all 
the bugs seem, to have any special liking for. 
They will, however, usually hang to a mustard 
plant nearly all summer, so we usually sow a 
good-sized patch of the white or French mus- 
tard for their special benefit. We frequently 
use the same ground for raising plants two or 
more years in succession, and find that if we 
clear every trace of cabbage from it as soon as 
the plant season is over, but few bugs will be 
found in the vicinity the following spring. 

As these assertions are at variance with the 



50 A MANUAL OF 

writings of other authors who have written 
upon these subjects, our readers may desire to 
know what proof we can present to sustain 
them. Well, these are the principles upon 
which we have worked for the past ten years, 
during which time we have grown, annually, 
hundreds of thousands of plants. Never, dur- 
ing all this time,* have we seen a single case of 
club-root developed upon a plant which had 
not first been mutilated in its roots by the cab- 
bage maggot, and never have we discovered a 
trace of the maggot in the roots of plants 
which had not first been severely worked upon 
by the flea-beetles. 

On the other hand, never have we had a 
bed of plants severely attacked by the beetles 
or fleas that was not subsequently injured by 
the maggot ; and further, never have we yet 
seen a maggot in the root, or the slightest ten- 
dency towards the development of club-root, 
on a plant, or plot of plants, which had been 
absolutely protected from the flea-beetles. 
Although strong, this of course is only circum- 
stantial evidence. We have taken a lot of 
these maggots from a bed badly infested with 
them, put them into a glass cage, and kept 
them until they developed into perfect little 



VEGETABLE PLANTS. 5 I 

flea-beetles, which is as strong proof as we are 
now able to present. The closest observers 
agree that club-root is caused by a little worm 
boring into the root. Why not, then, as soon 
lay the mischief to this little maggot as any 
other, inasmuch as it is more frequently found 
here than any other worm. We do not doubt 
but that there are other maggots, the larvae of 
other insects than the flea-beetle, which are 
capable of producing the same effect, but we 
do believe this to be the most common cause 
and the one most to be guarded against. We 
are aware that altogether a different code of 
habits has been given these insects by promi- 
nent entomologists and writers upon this sub- 
ject, and desire to quote a few passages, that 
the reader may be led to experiment until 
satisfied who is right. Hon. Asa Fitch, in his 
"Eleventh Report of the Noxious, Beneficial 
and other Insects of the State of New York," 
which was published in the Twenty-sixth 
Annual Report of the State Agricultural Soci- 
ety, in writing of the cabbage maggot makes 
the following statement : 

" It lies dormant in the ground about a fort- 
night in its pupa state, and then gives out the 
perfect insect, which is a two-winged fly resent- 



52 A MANUAL OF 

bling the common house-fly, but somewhat 
smaller in size, measuring 0.20 in length to 
the end of its body and 0.26 to the tip of 

the closed wings This cabbage 

fly is so closely related to the onion fly, that 
the same remarks made respecting the reme- 
dies for that species will apply equally well to 
this." In speaking of the striped flea-beetle, in 
the same Report, he describes certain " crooked 
marks" to be seen upon the leaves of cabbage 
and turnip plants, and says : " These marks are 
really produced by minute worms living in the 
interior of the leaves, feeding upon their green 
pulpy substance, and leaving the skin unbro- 
ken, mining a serpentine track, which increases 
in thickness as the worm grows to a larger 
size. These worms are the larvae of the flea- 
beetles, which make most of these marks, 
which occur in the turnip and other leaves 
in the garden." 

It is but justice to state that this fallacy — 
for we have proved it to be such — did not 
originate with Mr. Fitch, but is credited as 
being a new and valuable discovery, made by a 
Mr. Le Keux, a member of the Entomological 
Society of London. But Mr. Fitch heartily 
endorses it, and so it has been handed down 



VEGETABLE PLANTS. 53 

and accepted as a truth among the entomo- 
logical fraternity. We think the error has 
continued long enough for the good of the 
cabbage, turnip, and radish growers of our 
country, so we have given our own opinions 
freely upon the subject, and will await the 
decisions of careful experimenters as to the 
correctness of our views. 

The Radish Maggot. — Mr. Fitch, in the 
Report above alluded to, lays the parentage of 
this well-known worm to a different fly from 
the one which he thinks produces the cabbage 
maggot. In our opinion — which is founded 
upon practice and careful observations — it is 
the same, neither being the product of a " fly 
resembling a house-fly," but both emanating 
from the eggs of the striped flea-beetle. We 
do not say that there is no other fly in exist- 
ence whose eggs produce worms which feed 
upon the roots of either cabbage or radish. 
There may be such an insect, but we have 
never seen it. We write only of what we 
know, not of what may exist beyond our 
knowledge. Our experience has been with 
radishes the same as with cabbages. 

Whenever we have kept the young radish 
plants entirely free from the ravages of the 



54 A MANUAL OF 

fleas, and had them on loose, rich ground, 
where they could grow rapidly, we have invari- 
ably had splendid tender radishes, without a 
trace of worms ; but when the young plants 
were badly eaten by the fleas, we always found 
worms in the roots — unless it might be with 
early varieties, whose growth was forced so 
rapidly that the worms had not time to show 
themselves before the radishes were pulled. 
We have said that this insect winters in the 
pupa state — meaning that they usually do so. ; 
but we think the perfect insects also frequently 
live through the winter in a dormant state, as 
they make their appearance very early in the 
spring. 

The same methods given for protecting 
cabbage plants will apply to radishes with 
equal force. Where but a small bed of plants 
is to be grown, a method probably as cheap, 
and of as little trouble as any, will be to 
sow early, and protect the bed a great part of 
the time, while the plants are young, with a 
covering of glass sash or cloth. But it will be 
found vastly more difficult to raise a small bed 
of plants and keep them healthy and free from 
insects, than to grow them on a large scale. 
It will also be found cheaper for a man who 



VEGETABLE PLANTS. 55 

wants but a few hundred or thousand cabbage 
plants to purchase them of some one who 
grows them largely, than to attempt to grow 
his own. During the season just passed, we 
furnished our customers who came to the beds 
with as fine, healthy, well-rooted plants as they 
could desire, and of the best varieties, at -$1.50 
per thousand. Who could think of preparing 
his bed, purchasing his seed, and producing a 
single thousand for that money ? 

If it be found impossible to keep the fleas 
entirely off, on account of neglecting some of 
the precautions which we have given, the best 
manner of overcoming the injuries likely to be 
developed is to keep the plants growing as 
thriftily as possible, from the time the seed 
leaves are opened until the head is formed, as it 
frequently happens that where the plants are 
not badly infested with fleas, the diseases re- 
sulting therefrom will be comparatively slight. 

The Use of Lime upon ground occupied 
by cabbage is commonly regarded as beneficial, 
many growers having noticed that club-root 
is less likely to be developed where lime is a 
plentiful constituent of the soil. The reason 
for this is obvious : the strong alkali is very 
destructive to the maggots, and keeps them in 



56 A MANUAL OF 

check. Wood ashes are, for the same reason, 
one of the best fertilizers for all this class oi 
plants. Beautiful turnips and radishes may be 
grown on a newly cleared fallow with scarcely 
a trace of the maggot. The great amount of 
potash contained in the ashes is supposed to 
be their most valuable element for this use, as 
this class of plants, and in fact all leguminous 
plants, require a great amount of potash. 

Aside from its alkaline nature, lime has, in 
our opinion, but little manurial value in itself. 
Of course some of its constituents enter into 
the structure of the plant, but its main use or 
value as a manurial element consists in its 
action upon the vegetable matter with which it 
comes in contact, its tendency being to decom- 
pose or set free the gases bound up in the vege- 
table tissue, and render them available as plant 
food. Therefore, when lime is used in combi- 
nation with vegetable manure or with animal 
excrement, the mixture should always be kept 
under cover of the soil, that the gases may be 
held from escaping until the plant absorbs 
them. 

Plaster or Gypsum is in its effects exactly 
opposite to lime. It has a great affinity foi 
ammonia, phosphoric acid, and potash, and 



VEGETABLE PLANTS. 57 

readily absorbs them, especially the former, from 
the atmosphere, or from any thing containing 
these gases with which it may chance to come 
in contact. Plaster, but no lime, should there- 
fore be placed in all composts or mixtures which 
are to be used as surface manures. The kind 
of land most likely to be benefited by lime is 
therefore that which already contains a large 
amount of muck, or any vegetable matter. 
Our best market-gardeners generally apply lime 
to their grounds the year following a heavy ap- 
plication of stable manure, the first crop being 
fed by the parts of the manure which are readily 
soluble, and the lime serving to decompose the 
residue for the second year's use. 

Special or Commercial Fertilizers. — 
This is a subject which is commanding a great 
amount of thought and attention of late. There 
being few localities where an abundance of 
stable manure can be obtained, the importance 
of finding a substitute is apparent. The three 
principal elements required by the majority of 
our farm and garden crops, and which are not 
already to be found in sufficient quantities in 
the soil, are ammonia, potash, and phosphoric 
acid. Ammonia most largely abounds in all 
animal substances, all nitrogenous bodies. Pot- 



58 A MANUAL OF 

ash is largely found in ashes, and is also ob- 
tained in large quantities for commercial use 
from potash-rock, which is mined extensively 
in Germany, and also in some parts of South 
Carolina. Phosphoric acid is most readily ob- 
tained from bones, and is the most valuable 
constituent of the various superphosphates and 
bone manures with which the markets are filled. 

The exact proportion of each of these ingre- 
dients which is required for perfecting any of 
our farm or garden crops is readily ascertained 
by analysis. It seems, therefore, that it would 
be an easy matter to compound a special fer- 
tilizer which should be exactly adapted to any 
plant or crop. And this course is strongly ad- 
vocated by many eminent agriculturists at the 
present day. We have not in practice gone 
farther in this direction than to compound these 
elements into a fertilizer which we have used 
upon a general line of field and garden crops 
The use of such a fertilizer has been attended 
with varying results upon the different crops, 
some being particularly gratifying. 

The largest mixture of this kind which we 
have yet used, we will give, not as a pattern for 
others to follow, but to furnish an idea of the sub- 
stances and proportions which we deemed ne- 



VEGETABLE PLANTS. 59 

cessary in a special or general fertilizer. First 
we obtained one ton of fine dry hen manure, 
this, at $20 per ton, being our cheapest source 
of ammonia. Next, one ton of muriate of pot- 
ash, at $50. Third, one ton of fine dissolved 
bone, at $35. These three substances were 
finely compounded, and mixed with three tons 
of gypsum or plaster. One or two barrels of 
this mixture per acre, sowed upon wheat in 
early spring, gave, upon a piece of old land, 
where oats the previous year were scarcely 
worth harvesting, the most bountiful yield we 
ever grew. Twice that quantity sowed upon 
a piece of ground which had not received a 
coating of stable manure in -fifteen years, gave 
us as rank a growth of cabbage plants as we 
desire to see. We seldom venture the experi- 
ment of putting such manures in the hill, but 
always prefer sowing broadcast, and lightly har- 
rowing in. 

But users of these concentrated commercial 
fertilizers must not for a moment think that 
they are going to entirely take the place or per- 
form the functions of stable manure. They 
will not. The amount of soluble plant food 
contained in a load of stable manure is by no 
means the extent of its value. The mechanical 



60 A MANUAL OF 

action, the loosening and lightening influence 
which the vegetable matter has upon our 
stiff clay soils particularly, is of the greatest 
importance. The strongest commercial fertil- 
izer in the world, on a stiff, heavy clay soil, 
destitute of vegetable matter, will give very 
meagre returns. Ploughing under clover and 
other green crops must then be resorted to in 
connection with special manures, in order to 
make their use satisfactory to the planter. 

Preparing Ground for Cabbage Plants. 
— From what we have written, the reader will 
understand the reason for our now saying, 
select for your cabbage seeds a spot as far dis- 
tant from where they have been previously 
grown as possible. There is scarcely any pos- 
sible preparation, for either a field of cabbage 
or a bed of growing plants, better than plough- 
ing under a good heavy growth of large clover 
the previous summer. The clover always leaves 
the ground in a loose, light, mellow, healthy 
condition for the following spring's work, so 
that comparatively little stable manure will be 
required. If it is desired to sow the cabbage 
seeds early in spring, we usually plough the 
ground thoroughly and leave it in ridges the 
fall previous, so that it will more readily dry 



VEGETABLE PLANTS. 6 1 

off and become in good working order in 
spring. Then, as soon in the spring as it is in 
fit condition, it is ploughed and harrowed down 
finely, and furrowed out in beds about three and 
a half feet wide. The beds are then raked 
down, or rather the stones and lumps raked out 
into the furrows, which leaves the ground very 
nearly level again. There should, if possible, 
be ditches enough left so that the water from 
sudden rains may be carried off, otherwise the 
beds may suffer from washing during the fre- 
quent rains which come at this season. What- 
ever special manure we are to apply may be 
sown upon the surface and harrowed in before 
the beds are furrowed out, or, if the quantity 
is limited and we desire to make it go as far as 
possible, it may be sown upon the beds after 
the first raking, which is usually done with a 
four-tined potato-digging hook. It is then 
raked again with a steel-toothed rake, care 
being taken to rake the small stones and lumps 
to the surface by a movement of the rake 
lengthwise of the bed, so as not to rake the 
fertilizer into the ditch, but to thoroughly mix 
it with the surface soil. 

The bed is then ready for sowing the seeds 
which is readily accomplished with a common 



62 A MANUAL OF 

onion or turnip seed-drill. We have used both 
Matthews' and Comstock's seed-drills, and 
think the former the best instrument for sow- 
ing seeds simply, and the latter the best we 
know of that has a cultivator attachment. 
These machines will sow any kind of seeds, 
from mustard up to corn and peas, with much 
more regularity than can be done by hand, at 
the same time with much greater rapidity, and 
with an exactness that allows any given num- 
ber of pounds of seeds per acre to be sown. 
They cost from $8 to $12 each, and can be pro- 
cured through any seedsman. With these ma- 
chines the seeds are sown in drills lengthwise 
of the beds, four rows being placed upon each 
bed. This brings the rows about ten inches 
apart, with a space of one foot between each 
two beds, which is used as a path. 

Cabbage seeds require but little heat to 
germinate freely, and, if the weather is favor- 
able, they should begin to show themselves in 
one week. We have frequently had cold 
weather, and even snow, after our earliest sow- 
ing was up, but never have had them injured 
by it. We make our first sowings as soon in 
spring as we can get the ground in suitable 
condition, which is not until from the 1 2th to 



VEGETABLE PLANTS. 63 

25th of April with us. We then continue to 
sow at intervals of one week until the ist of 
June, at which date our first out-doors plants 
are ready for sale or transplanting. We have 
dwelt sufficiently upon the importance as 
well as the manner of keeping the young 
plants protected from insects. To accomplish 
this will require constant watchfulness, and no 
one should undertake the job who has not the 
necessary time to enable him to outgeneral his 
small but powerful enemy. 

Cultivation. — The soil around the young 
plants should be frequently stirred, both for 
the purpose of stimulating their growth and 
destroying all weeds which make their appear- 
ance. 

The best hoe we have ever found for this 
purpose is easily made by taking a piece of inch- 
wide hoop-iron, say thirteen inches in length, 
and grinding one of its edges quite sharp. 
Now punch a couple of holes through each 
end, or one half inch from each end, large 
enough to hold a shingle-nail or a three-quarter- 
inch screw. Next find an old hoe-handle, or 
make one out of a cast-off rake's tail, and 
fasten the end of it securely into a hole in the 
centre of a hardwood block five inches in 



64 A MANUAL OF 

length, making it T-shaped. Now bend the 
hoop-iron at right angles in two places, four 
inches from each end, making it U-shaped, and 
fit it upon the cross-piece on the handle, fast- 
ening it with screws or nails, which pass 
through the holes near the ends of the hoop- 
iron, and into the ends of the cross-piece. 
Fasten it at such an angle that when the hoe- 
handle is held in the hands in a natural posi- 
tion for hoeing, the U will stand upright. 
Now, as this hoe is drawn along between the 
rows of cabbage, it cuts and kills every weed, 
and loosens the soil without displacing it, as it 
simply passes through the loop and falls back 
into position. This also makes a very superior 
onion weeder. Of course the dimensions 
given — five inches, which makes the width of 
the hoe — can be varied at pleasure, but should 
be somewhat less than the distance between 
the rows where it is expected to be used. 

Transplanting. — A cloudy or wet time is 
usually selected for transplanting the plants 
into the field ; but if they are good, tough, 
healthy, well-rooted plants, and the soil con- 
tains the usual amount of moisture, as good 
" luck " may be had in pleasant weather as 
during a rain. The ground should be worked 



VEGETABLE PLANTS. 65 

up fine and mellow by thorough ploughing and 
harrowing. We usually set by stakes ; one 
person dropping the plants on the line, and 
another following and setting them with a 
" dibber," which is a sharp stick, eight inches 
long, for making the hole into which the plant 
is dropped to the right depth. They may be 
expected to wilt some ; but, if the soil is loose 
and moist, not one per cent, will die from 
transplanting, and they will commence grow- 
ing sooner, while the ground will be left in far 
better condition than it will be after setting in, 
or immediately after a heavy rain, as is lre- 
quently done. The striped flea-beetle some- 
times attacks early cabbage plants after they 
are set in the field. Should they do so, it is 
proof that they have nothing more suitable to 
eat, and should at once be furnished by sowing 
seeds of turnip, mustard, etc., in the immediate 
vicinity, at the same time dusting the plants 
with plaster or wood ashes. The fleas should, 
however, be kept from finding the young cab- 
bage plants in the manner so fully described 
under head of Striped Flea-beetle, and our 
prevention. 

Varieties. — There are so many varieties of 
cabbage in cultivation, that the inexperienced 



66 A MANUAL OF 

planter is frequently at a loss to know which 
to select. It is easy for us to enumerate those 
which usually give the best satisfaction in our 
soil and climate, but this information might be 
no criterion for people in other localities. 

Under the head of Early Varieties, in Part 
First of this work, we stated that we valued 
Fottlers Early Drumhead above every other 
variety for a general-purpose cabbage. We 
will also place it at the head of our list of late 
varieties ; for, although called early, if planted 
late — say from 25th of June to 10th of July in 
this latitude — we have yet to see its equal for 
fall and winter use. It has a large, hard, flat, 
and beautifully shaped head, which is always 
formed on a short stem. It is very reliable for 
heading, and has probably grown more rapidly 
in public favor during the past few years, in this 
vicinity at least, than any other variety. In 
order to ascertain what it would do in other 
localities, we made an offer last fall to send a 
sample package of the seeds free to any cab- 
bage-grower who would give it a trial and re- 
port results. The offer was published in sev- 
eral popular agricultural journals, and in re- 
sponse we received nearly five hundred appli- 
cations. Nearly every State and Territory in 



VEGETABLE PLANTS. 67 

the Union was included in the list, and we are 
pleased to state that, so far as received, the re- 
ports speak very favorably of it. 

The Flat Dutch, in its different strains, is 
by far more widely and extensively cultivated 
throughout this country than any other va- 
riety. Nearly every seed-grower has a partic- 
ular strain of this variety which he claims to 
be superior to any to be obtained elsewhere. 
The truth is there is little difference in them, 
and any one which has been for years se- 
lected for seed purposes, and only those 
which have formed perfect heads saved and 
planted for producing seeds, will give satisfac- 
tion. English-grown seeds of late varieties of 
cabbage usually fail entirely to produce good 
heads in this country, and should never be 
planted with the expectation of obtaining more 
than a good growth of leaves for fodder. We 
attribute as a reason for this, not that the cli- 
mate is unfavorable, for it is even better or 
more perfectly adapted to the wants of the 
cabbage than our own, but to the fact that 
these imported seeds are usually very carelessly 
grown from stumps, refuse heads, or plants 
which have failed to head at all. The reason 
for importing these seeds is that they can be 



68 A MANUAL OF 

procured for less money than American-grown 
seeds. So a cheap article is produced to meet 
the demand, but in the end it is found to be 
the dearest. If seed stock from some of our 
standard varieties should be taken to Europe 
and there carefully developed, then the finest 
heads selected and seeds again grown from 
them and brought back to our country, we be- 
lieve they would produce even finer heads than 
the original cabbages here. We base these 
conclusions upon similar experiments which 
we have made by sending to Washington Ter- 
ritory, where the climate, in the vicinity of 
Puget Sound, more nearly resembles that of 
England than our Middle States. Still we be- 
lieve that if propagated in these warm and 
moist lacalities for a long series of years, the 
tendency would be to ripen later and later each 
succeeding year, until they would become un- 
fitted for our short seasons, as it is a well- 
known fact that vegetables of any kind will 
ripen sooner when the seeds are procured from 
far north than south of the locality in which 
they are planted. 

French grown cabbage seeds seem to do 
much better with us than English, but as 
American seeds are superior to either and can 




VEGETABLE PLANTS. 69 

now be produced at a cost low enough to sat- 
isfy any one, there no longer remains even this 
poor excuse for importing. 

The Late Drumhead is quite a popular late 
variety. It is later than the Flat Dutch, and 
usually not so reliable for heading. l 

We this season planted forty-five early and 
late varieties, in order to ascertain if there were 
any better than those of which we have 
spoken. A casual observer would not suspect 
that the field contained more than a half dozen 
varieties. Among the early varieties, the Little 
Pixie, Early Wyman, Cannon-ball, Early 
Flat Dutch, and Schweinfurth Quintal, ap- 
peared to possess more real merit than any 
others, except those named on pages 19 and 
20. The above rank in earliness and size 
about in the order named. The Little Pixie 
is earlier even than the old Early York. The 
heads are small, but very hard. An admirable 
first early variety. The Early Wyman some- 
what resembles the Wakefield. It grows 
rather larger, and may perhaps be an improve- 
ment on that well-known variety. The Can- 
non-ball produces what its name indicates, a 
very hard, round head, probably harder than 
any other variety. 



A 



JO A MANUAL OF 

The Schweinfurth Quintal is very reliable 
for heading. The heads are uniformly large, 
the largest in the field, but are not very solid. 
They are of fine shape, white, tender, and of 
excellent quality. 

The Early Dark Red Erfurt is an im- 
provement on the old Red Dutch. It is ear- 
lier, of a deeper color, grows on a shorter 
stem, and produces a fair-sized, very hard head. 

The Bergen Drtimhead seems to be earlier 
than the common Late Drumhead, and much 
more reliable for heading. 

The Stone Mason seems of late somewhat 
prone to rot in the stem before ripening. 
Otherwise it is an excellent second early va- 
riety. Several other varieties might be con- 
sidered valuable but for their liability to de- 
struction by rotting. Among these we would 
name Wheeler s Imperial, Robinson s Cham- 
pion, Fearnaught, and Filder kraut. The last 
named, but for this fault, would be a very ex- 
cellent variety. It somewhat resembles the 
Winnigstadt in shape and habits of growth, 
but is even more pointed than that justly 
popular variety. The Silverleaf Drumhead, 
French Quintal, Green Glazed, Dax Drum- 
head, imported Flat Brunswick Drumhead t 



VEGETABLE PLANTS. 7 1 

and Enfield Market failed entirely to produce 
heads of any value in our trial patch. Al- 
though we ought not to approve or condemn 
any variety on a single trial, we feel justifiable 
in recommending those which produced fine 
heads as preferable to those which made entire 
failures, as they had in all respects an equal 
chance. The Improved American Savoy is 
probably the best of its class. The savoys are 
the tenderest and finest in quality of all cab- 
bages. The heads do not usually grow very 
large or very solid. They are more especially 
grown for family use, where fine quality is more 
of an object than quantity. 

The Cut-worm is the next enemy which 
stands ready to claim the plants. It is so old 
an offender, and so well known, that no de- 
scription is necessary. We regret that we 
know of no manner of exterminating them 
cheaply and effectually. If very plentiful, 
they may be seen while preparing the ground, 
and if the planter has no other spot well 
adapted to cabbage which is not so badly in- 
fested with them, he must either lose a large 
percentage of his plants, rid the ground of the 
pests before setting them, or so prepare them 
that they cannot be eaten off by the worms. 



J2 A MANUAL OF- 

His peculiar circumstances must enable him to 
decide which of these three alternatives is his 
best hold. 

The plants may be easily prepared to with- 
stand this enemy by wrapping each stem with 
a small strip of thin paper, which, when the 
plant is set in position, will extend down to, or 
slightly into, the soil, and up one or two inches 
from the surface. There are, doubtless, prepa- 
rations in which the stems of the plants may 
be dipped which will also repel or kill the 
worm, and still not injure the plant. Experi- 
ments in this direction might result in valua- 
ble discoveries. 

If a few days' time can be spared between 
preparing the ground and setting the plants, 
these worms may be pretty effectually extermi- 
nated by sowing a quantity of beans over the 
piece and lightly harrowing or raking them in. 
They will come up quickly and be attacked by 
the cut-worms. Then, by passing over the 
ground daily for a few days and hunting the 
worms, which are readily found just under the 
surface, close by the plants which they have 
just cut down, the patch can readily be cleared 
of the pests. 

The Green Worm. — The next enemy from 



VEGETABLE PLANTS. J$ 

whose depredations the cabbage is likely to 
suffer is the white cabbage butterfly, which has 
been in this country but a few years, and is the 
parent of the much detested green cabbage 
worm. For a year or two after its advent in 
this country it caused general and almost com- 
plete destruction. Now it injures the plants 
to some extent, but by no means so severely as 
formerly. The reason for this is that its natu- 
ral enemies have also become numerous enough 
to keep it in check. Like all other insects, 
there are three stages to its existence — viz., the 
perfect insect, which is the butterfly ; the cater- 
pillar, or green worm, in which form it is most 
destructive ; and third, the chrysalis, or pupa 
state, in which it is dormant, and undergoes 
the change from worm to butterfly. When in 
this state, and to all appearances lifeless, in 
which condition it passes the winter, it is 
sought by a small parasitic fly, which punctures 
its skin and lays within its shell a number of 
small eggs. These soon hatch out into little 
white maggots, which eat the inside entirely 
out, leaving only a hollow shell. We have ex- 
amined dozens of these chrysalides in early 
spring — which are to be found on the sides of 
buildings, fences, stones, or any rubbish near 



74 A MANUAL OF 

where cabbage was grown the year previous — 
without rinding a single one not infected and 
spoiled by these maggots. So much reduced 
has this cabbage pest become by means of this 
parasite, that if all the worms found while hoe- 
ing the plants are carefully destroyed, little 
damage will be done to .large plantations, even 
if no more attention is paid to them. Where 
but a few plants are set out in the garden, how- 
ever, the damage will be proportionately much 
greater, and if not frequently destroyed, the 
worms may effect a complete ruin. 

The reason for this is, that the butterflies, 
which lay the eggs, are very active insects, being 
almost continually on the wing, and wandering 
around from field to field. Wherever they can 
find cabbage they stop and lay a few eggs, and 
pass on. The consequence is that the eggs, 
and soon after the resulting worms, become 
nearly as numerous on the small patch as upon 
the large, and of course, if there are more 
worms in proportion to the number of cab- 
bages, the resulting damage will be correspond- 
ingly greater. The butterflies are attracted to 
the cabbage by the sense of smell, and may in 
a great measure be prevented from finding 
them in the same manner as we have describ- 



VEGETABLE PLANTS. 75 

ed for the prevention of the flea-beetle. As 
this prevention is vastly better than any aire 
with which we are acquainted, we will not oc- 
cupy space by giving remedies, especially as 
we know no infallible one. 

Salting Cabbage. — An application of a 
few bushels of salt per acre, sown upon 
the soil when preparing it for cabbage, is 
very beneficial, the cabbage being naturally 
a salt-water plant, or one . which grows to 
its greatest perfection on lands contiguous 
to the sea-shore. Salt also has a good effect 
in destroying worms upon any soil, and may 
be used very beneficially upon any lands in- 
fested with white grubs or cut worms. 

An article well adapted to these purposes is 
the refuse or dirty salt, which may frequently be 
obtained at the salt-works at from $2 to $5 per 
ton. It must not be used too freely, however, or 
the results will be attended with more loss than 
profit. We have in mind an instance in which 
we procured four barrels of refuse salt, which we 
intended to apply as a top-dressing on nearly as 
many acres, mainly for the purpose of drawing 
or holding the moisture during the dry sum- 
mer months. The work of applying was left to 
a man who misunderstood the matter entirely, 



j6 A MANUAL OF 

and the contents of the four barrels were spread, 
with a shovel, upon about one third of an acre 
in the centre of a field which we afterwards 
planted with potatoes. The result, as any one 
might naturally infer, was a total dearth of 
vegetation upon that land for one year. Not 
even a weed dared to lift its head, and a cas- 
ual observer might have supposed that a pond 
of water had recently dried away, leaving the 
middle of our field clean and bare. The fol- 
lowing season that spot was selected as a site 
for carrots and asparagus plants, both of which 
grew finely, and with but little trouble from 
weeds. 

Judging from the results of this experiment, 
we believe that a heavy application of salt 
might frequently be made to pay upon rich, 
old grounds which have become badly infested 
with weeds, though at a loss of use for one 
season. A small pinch of salt sprinkled upon 
the heads of growing cabbage is also thought 
to cause them to grow larger and more solid. 
It may be repeated at intervals of one or two 
weeks, each time enlarging the quantity. Care 
must be exercised, however, not to overdo this 
work, as too large a dose would result disas- 
trously. 



vegetable plants. jj 

Watering the Plants in the Seed-bed. 
— It is commonly supposed that young growing 
plants require very frequent watering during 
dry seasons. Whether this supposition is cor- 
rect or not depends entirely upon the condition 
of the plants. If they are healthy, with leaves 
unspotted by bugs, and abundantly supplied 
with fibrous roots, they are capable of with- 
standing as severe drought as any other class of 
plants. But if maimed and crippled in both 
leaf and root, as is too frequently the case when 
grown by parties who know not how to take 
care of them, the hot sun and withering winds 
will curl them to such an extent that frequent 
watering is the only means of sustaining life. 

CELERY PLANTS. 

The consumption of this delicious vegetable 
is greatly on the increase in this country. This 
causes the demand for celery plants to annually 
become larger, and as there is considerable 
knack in producing a good lot of plants, it has 
become an important branch of business with 
many seedsmen and vegetable gardeners. 

It is useless to attempt to grow a bed of 



J& A MANUAL OF . 

celery plants on our sunny sidehills in the 
open ground. If forced to produce them in 
such situations, it must be done in frames, 
where they can be easily watered and partially 
shaded. The natural situation for celery 
seems to be in a moist, cool, half-shady position, 
near a body of water, whose vapors as they 
continually arise will give the atmosphere a 
perceptible feeling of dampness. A rich, 
mucky or loamy soil is best adapted to the 
needs of this plant. 

As a spot eminently fitted in these respects 
is usually very slow to dry out, it will generally 
be found too wet to get in order and sow as 
early in spring as it is necessary the seeds 
should be sown in order to produce large, 
stocky plants, in time to fully develop during 
our short seasons. We would, therefore, 
recommend working the soil up in good con- 
dition during the dry fall months previous, and 
leaving it in high ridges over winter. All 
that is necessary in spring will be to rake 
down the beds as early as the weather will per- 
mit, and sow the seeds. 

The seeds should always be sown in drills, as 
directed for cabbage plants, about ten inches 
apart, but may be considerably thicker in the 



VEGETABLE PLANTS. 79 

rows than cabbage. They must not, however, 
be covered as deeply as cabbage seeds. The 
manner of sowing usually decides the crop. 
If properly done, they will come up evenly 
and produce a good crop of plants ; but if 
improperly done, the chances of an even catch 
are slim. 

The seeds must be covered but very lightly, 
a mere sprinkling, enough to hide them from 
sight, being sufficient. Then, to prevent 
their drying out, the soil must be " firmed." 
The simplest manner of doing this on a small 
scale is to pack the soil on the rows with the 
feet. Walk over each row twice, by placing 
one foot as closely ahead of the other as pos- 
sible, so that your whole weight will press 
upon every inch of the row. Beds so. treated 
will come up evenly, when if this simple firm- 
ing was omitted only here and there a plant 
could be seen. 

Celery seeds are slow to germinate at the 
best. Every thing being favorable, two weeks' 
time will elapse between the sowing and the 
first appearance of the plants. For this reason 
if for no other, the plants should be in rows, 
and the rows far enough apart, so they can be 
easily hoed out and the weeds kept in check. 



SO A MANUAL OF 

Celery plants, to become large, stocky, and 
of good shape, should be transplanted, or 
" pricked out," as gardeners term it, as soon as 
they have attained a height of two inches, into 
a bed of rich, mellow soil, in rows four to six 
inches apart, and two inches in the row. 

Here they should receive frequent water- 
ings, and should be sheared or cut back, as 
often as they show any tendency to send up tall 
and spindling leaf-stalks. This keeps them short 
and stocky, and causes them to form a mass 
of fibrous roots. They will then be ready to 
start into vigorous growth as soon as put out 
in the field, where they have plenty of room. 
They may be left in these beds until the 
removal of some early field or garden crop 
gives a # vacant spot for setting them, and will 
be growing probably more rapidly in the beds 
during the hot and dry weeks of midsummer 
than they would in the field. 



ASPARAGUS PLANTS. 

One of the best paying vegetables for 
marketing at the present day, if rightly 
managed, is asparagus. A grower of veg- 



VEGETABLE PLANTS. 8 1 

etable plants will therefore find a good de- 
mand among his customers for asparagus 
plants, and as they are very easily grown they 
may be sold at seemingly low prices, yet at a 
fair profit. 

The requisites for an asparagus plant bed 
are a light, rich, sandy loam, free from weeds. 
This latter is an indispensable quality, for the 
seeds are several weeks in germinating, and if 
the ground is full of weed-seeds, they will spring 
up and occupy the land so far in advance of the 
asparagus, that it can never catch up. There- 
fore, select a spot which is smooth and level, 
which has been in potatoes, cabbage, or some 
hoed crop the previous year, and kept free 
from weeds. Plough, furrow, and rake it into 
beds early in spring, as directed for cabbage 
seeds. Sow the seeds with a drill, three or 
four rows upon each bed, mixing with it a few 
radish seeds. These will spring up at once, 
and thus enable the ground to be hoed or cul- 
tivated before the young asparagus plants have 
made their appearance. All that is now neces- 
sary is keeping the weeds from growing, and 
thinning out the asparagus plants, if too thick, 
to about three inches apart. If upon good 
soil and well taken care of, these one-year-old 



82 A MANUAL OF 

plants will be good for setting in permanent 
beds in spring. Two-year-old plants are very 
frequently used, but a first-class one-year-old 
is considered fully as valuable as one which, on 
account of neglect, has occupied two years ii 
attaining a suitable size for setting. 

Asparagus plants are perfectly hardy, and 
may be safely wintered in the beds without 
protection, yet, if upon soil which is liable tc 
heave by frost, a slight covering will prevent 
damage. 



STRAWBERRY PLANTS. 

Should you ask persons who grow straw- 
berries if they have any young plants to 
spare, nine out of ten will say, " Oh, yes ! 
thousands of them." You go after them, 
and you will probably find an old bed which 
has become matted with vines, yet when 
you undertake to dig them it is with great 
difficulty that you can obtain a dozen good 
plants. There may be thousands, but they are 
so crowded, and have occupied the ground so 
long, that the majority of them are either too 



VEGETABLE PLANTS. 83 

old to be of any value to transplant, or else 
too weak and small. 

Growing plants and growing berries are 
separate and distinct branches of business, 
and cannot well be both done at the same 
time in the same beds. Because a man 
grows berries, it should not, therefore, be 
inferred that he has young plants to spare. 
He may have, or he may not. To pro- 
duce nice berries, the runners should be 
kept cut so that the old plant will stool 
out and become large and thrifty. To pro- 
duce good plants, they must be allowed to 
run for one season only, on fresh soil, free from 
weeds, where the young rootlets can readily 
take hold. Strawberry plants are fit for set- 
ting only during the season in which they are 
formed, or early in the following spring. If 
older than this, the roots become hard and 
black, when it is with difficulty that they can 
be made to live, and they are not at all likely 
to grow thriftily. On the other hand, if too 
young, or grown in old, crowded, or weedy 
beds, the roots will be few and short, and the 
plants generally too weak and feeble to do 
well. The usual method for obtaining plants 
is to keep the bed in condition for producing 



84 A MANUAL OF 

fruit for one year. Then remove the mulching 
and cultivate between the rows thoroughly, 
letting the runners grow the next season after 
fruiting. 

When we get choice, new varieties, from 
which we wish to propagate as rapidly as 
possible, we have found it the best plan to 
procure them in March, and set at first in a 
moderate hot-bed, or cold frame, where they 
will grow rapidly, and usually bloom in April. 
The blossoms are picked off as soon as formed 
or while in bud. The next tendency of the 
plant is to throw out runners, after it has borne 
or attempted to bear fruit. Early in May, or 
as soon as all hard frosts are past, we carefully 
transfer them to the open ground, selecting a 
situation for them which is free from weeds 
and weed seeds as possible, and which will be 
likely to remain somewhat moist at the surface 
throughout the season. Here they should be 
placed not nearer than three feet apart each 
way, and different varieties at least ten feet 
apart, for they are prepared to throw out run- 
ners at once, and as they will keep running all 
the season, until stopped by cold weather late 
in the fall, the number of plants produced will 
not only be surprisingly large, but they will be 



VEGETABLE PLANTS. 85 

of remarkably fine quality, and well supplied 
with roots. There is a great difference in the 
running propensities of different varieties. A 
hundred plants each of the Captain Jack and 
Cumberland Triumph, set out last spring, 
after the above treatment, have entirely cov- 
ered the ground with very fine plants ; while 
the Great American, Prouty's Seedling 
and others have shown more of a tendency to 
stooling, or developing large hills, so that but 
few plants have been formed. 

Setting the Plants. — Strawberry plants 
should be taken up carefully with a garden 
trowel, the roots straightened out, and all de- 
caying leaves and runner stalks neatly trimmed 
off. It is well also to trim the ends of the 
roots neatly and smoothly, as new rootlets will 
readily start out where they are cut. We 
have somewhat changed our views, during the 
last few years, in regard to the best manner of 
setting the plants. We used to accept the 
plan so frequently recommended, of spreading 
the roots as much as possible around a small 
mound on the surface, as the best. But we 
have found that it will hardly answer in our 
locality, where we are liable to surfer on ac- 
count of very dry weather, as the soil is liable 



86 A MANUAL OF 

to become dry even below the roots, before 
they have taken a start and the plants die. 
We therefore have had better success in set- 
ting as we would set cabbage plants, by mak- 
ing a hole some three or four inches deep with 
a dibber, and putting the roots down as far as 
possible without getting the crown below the 
surface. This will give the plant moisture 
until new roots are developed, so that fewer 
vacancies will be found in the bed. 

We believe that nothing is gained in our 
locality by fall setting, but, on the contrary, 
spring planting has every thing to recommend 
it. We know that many claim a half crop the 
first season upon fall-planted vines. This we 
have yet to see them do. Of course we get a 
few, but the extra cost of covering the plants 
with straw the first winter, which must be 
removed in order to cultivate in spring, more 
than balances the gain. In some sections 
strawberries may be profitably grown without 
any winter covering, or protection from the 
cold. But it is not so with us. The continual 
freezing and thawing lifts the plants from their 
position little by little, until they are left en- 
tirely upon the surface, where the frost and wind 
hold high carnival over the remains until not a 



VEGETABLE PLANTS. Sj 

spark of life is left. A winter covering of straw 
or forest leaves is therefore indispensable, and 
the cultivator who plants a larger area than he 
can cover, throws his labor away. 

Packing Plants for Transportation. — 
If to be sent but a short distance, no particular 
care will be required in packing, further than 
to lay them evenly and securely. The roots 
should be dipped in water in order that they 
may be kept moist, and the plants retain their 
freshness ; but the tops must be packed dry. 
What we must particularly guard against is the 
liability of the plants to heat, when they will 
turn yellow and commence to decay rapidly. 

We have experimented a great deal on this 
matter of packing, and will endeavor to de- 
scribe the method which seems most satisfac- 
tory. The plants when pulled are counted out 
in bunches of one hundred each. After dipping 
the roots in water, two layers are placed in the 
box, the roots toward each other. Slightly 
damp moss is packed on and between the roots 
to retain moisture there. If to remain packed 
over twenty-four hours, some perfectly dry 
hay or straw must be packed in alternate lay- 
ers with the tops, say one inch of this packing 
to every three or four inches of plants. In 



SS A MANUAL OF 

this way the two tiers are built up to the top 
of the box. A piece of board six inches in 
width, and as long as the width of the box, is 
then pressed down upon the roots, and fastened 
at each end with a nail driven through the sides 
of the box. The ends of the plants should 
not come in contact with the box, but a space 
of at least two inches left for the circulation of 
air. The sides and top of the box should be 
composed of slats, also for the free admission 
of air. 

For short distances, we usually take any 
cheap box of suitable size, place a layer of 
moss in the bottom, and stand the plants up- 
right in it, packing a sufficient quantity of moss 
or hay between or around them to hold them 
in position, and ship with no covering what- 
ever over the top. The express agents and 
others handling the box will then see at a 
glance that if they turn the box over the con- 
tents will be spilled. The result is, the box 
is carried right side up, with care. This would 
hardly do, however, for long distances or in 
crowded cars. If the box is covered at all, the 
plants must be securely fastened so they will 
not shake around whenever the box changes 
position, as it must be expected to carry with 



VEGETABLE PLANTS. 89 

any side up that may happen during the jour- 
ney. 

Second-hand soap and saleratus boxes are of 
good size and shape for packing-boxes. With 
the best of packing, plants will not safely with- 
stand more than three days' journey, and a dis- 
tance occupying two days will be as great as 
will be found profitable, taking into considera- 
tion the risk and also the increased express 
charges. 

We have recently adopted cheap willow bas- 
kets for packing but a few hundred plants. 
They are light, neat, cheap, and admit air 
freely, so as to carry plants in the best possible 
condition. 

Care on Arrival. — Fully as important as 
that the plants be properly packed, is it that 
the receiver understand what to do with them 
when received. The plants will undoubtedly be 
somewhat wilted and the roots more or less 
dry. The boxes should be opened as soon as 
possible upon receipt, the bunches taken out, 
and the roots dipped in water. The plants 
should then be laid loosely in some cool, shady 
place, until they revive and freshen up. Many 
planters dip the roots in water, and then in dry 
plaster, before setting out in the field. This 



90 A MANUAL OF 

helps to retain the moisture to some extent, 
but if the soil is loose, fresh, and moist, as it 
should be, but a small percentage of loss will 
occur. If the plants are much wilted, or the 
weather so dry or hot that they are likely to 
wilt badly after setting, all the larger leaves 
should be removed from the plants, as they will 
then be much more likely to live. 

GROWING SQUASHES. 

The ultimate success or failure of a squash 
crop depends perhaps as greatly upon the 
treatment which the plants receive during the 
first stages of their existence, as that of any 
vegetable of which we have spoken. We will 
therefore add a few brief notes on their culture. 

A dish of winter squash is so greatly relished 
by the majority of people, that we wonder 
they are not considered as staple as potatoes, 
and a good supply laid in by every family. 
Unquestionably the best varieties, which have 
been thoroughly tested in divers localities, are 
the pure Hubbard and Marblehead. The But- 
man, a more recent introduction, claims to sur- 
pass the above in some points, but is not' yet 
well enough known to be classed as a standard 



VEGETABLE PLANTS. 9 1 

Either of the above will keep well till spring, 
providing you have enough so that the cook 
will leave a few until then. Squashes require 
a light, dry, rich soil. Do not depend upon a- 
half-bushel of rich soil in the hill, thinking that 
will give them sustenance sufficient to enable 
them to run over poor ground. You will never 
try that plan but once. It will not be success- 
ful, for this reason : not only are the main roots 
very long, but the vine does not depend en- 
tirely upon them for its support. At every 
joint where the vine branches out, a new root 
strikes down for nutriment. 

The squash is a rank feeder, and requires 
heavy manuring to enable it to perfect its crop 
between frosts. It is therefore a safe rule to 
apply at least one half of the allotment of ma- 
nure broadcast, and one half in the hill. 

Our seasons are seldom long enough to en- 
able them to perfect their growth. It is there- 
fore desirable to plant earlier than the late 
frosts in spring will allow without protection. 
One of the cheapest and most satisfactory 
plans we have seen for accomplishing this, is 
to take a block not over eight or ten inches in 
diameter, place it on the hill over the seeds 
after planting, and with a hoe draw the earth 



92 A MANUAL OF 

around it to a height of four or five inches, 
packing it as tightly as possible. The block, 
or mould should be a little larger at the top 
than at the bottom, so that it may be readily 
drawn out, leaving the soil in position. The 
concave thus formed is now covered by laying 
a pane of glass over it. This concentrates the 
sun's rays, shelters the hill from cold winds, 
and protects the plants from frosts and insects. 
The covering may be left until the plants press 
against the glasses, when they are removed, and 
the plants thinned and hoed. If the glasses 
are thought too expensive, a good quality of 
paper or piece of cheap muslin fastened down 
at the corners will answer a very good purpose. 
Two plants in each hill are better than more, 
but as they are easily destroyed, the thinning 
should be left until you are confident that no 
further loss will occur. 

The greatest enemy to the squash vine are 
" bugs." The large brown bug, so well known 
as a " stink bug," will devour them more rapidly 
than any other, yet as the damage done by 
them consists mainly in the amount they eat, 
a little watchfulness will save the vines from 
them. 

The yellow and black striped cucumber bug 



VEGETABLE PLANTS. 93 

are the most to be feared, for not only do they 
damage by the amount they eat, but just so 
sure as allowed to remain for any considera- 
ble time upon the vines, they will literally lay 
the eggs for the future destruction of whatever 
escapes their greedy jaws ! Therefore banish 
them entirely. Do not think that, because 
there are not enough to destroy your plants, 
they will do no harm. The eggs of these bugs 
soon hatch into white worms, grubs, or borers, 
as they are generally termed, which enter the 
body and main roots of the plants, frequently 
boring and tunnelling through them until but 
a resemblance of a honey-comb is left. Then 
the plant withers and dies. There is no other 
hope for it. The only remedy is to keep off 
the bugs. The plans and preventives given 
elsewhere for saving cabbage plants from the 
attacks of the flea-beetle, will also apply to 
squashes with equal force. 

Squashes will mix badly if different varieties 
are planted near each other, or near gourds, 
or any plants of the same natural order, but 
the mixture will not show the first season, so it 
will do no harm, providing the seeds from such 
specimens are not saved for future planting. 



94 A MANUAL OF 

THE POTATO. 

NOTES ON THE NEWER VARIETIES. 

Probably no vegetable in the catalogues is 
of greater importance, the world over, than 
the potato. Therefore, any hints by which the 
grower may be enabled to improve his crop, 
in yield or quality, must be regarded as season- 
able. Good crops may be grown on a great 
variety of soils ; but a deep, light, sandy loam, 
or a thoroughly drained peaty soil, is most 
suitable. A heavy application of stable manure 
will greatly increase the size of the tubers, and 
also the general yield ; but it will also increase 
their liability to rot : so that it is not advisa- 
ble to apply fresh stable manures largely, 
except in case of early varieties, designed for 
marketing as soon as dug. 

However, we have never yet observed any 
damaging influence from the use of horse- 
manure with which plenty of litter has been 
mixed, and think the loosening properties 
which such materials have are exactly adapted 
to the wants of the potato. The best possible 
position for potatoes is where a light soil has 
been heavily manured the year previous for 



VEGETABLE PLANTS. 95 

some other crop ; or, if the soil is somewhat 
heavy, a good clover sod, plowed under the 
autumn previous, will make an excellent base 
on which to grow a heavy crop of potatoes. 

The planting should be done early — as soon, 
in fact, as the soil is in good working order. 
Our experience has been that, all other things 
being equal, the earliest planted will yield at 
least one third more than those which are 
delayed two or three weeks. 

We are convinced that the majority of peo- 
ple plant three times as much seed as they 
should in order to secure the best results. 
Probably the average amount used in this 
country for seed will exceed ten bushels per 
acre, while the average yield will not exceed 
one hundred bushels, or at most a ten-fold 
increase. 

Now, we suppose the potato is capable of 
yielding at the rate of an" hundred-fold with 
common field culture ; and by taking a little 
extra pains, in favorable situations, different 
parties have succeeded in doing ten times as 
well as this, even ; for upward of one thousand 
pounds have repeatedly been produced from 
a single pound of seed. 

We have for a number of years practiced 



96 A MANUAL OF 

cutting to single eyes; and although we have 
never succeeded in obtaining such enormous 
yields as those referred to, we find that we get 
not only a much larger yield per acre than 
formerly, but a far smaller percentage of small- 
sized potatoes. 

There is no disguising the fact that the po- 
tato, when propagated year after year from tu- 
bers in the usual manner, is subject to deterio- 
ration, degeneration, or a continual " running 
out" of its productive capacities. Where are 
our " Merinoes," " Mercers," and " Peachblows" 
of twenty years ago ? Meagre indeed are the 
returns from them, compared with what they 
were in their youthful days. Our old favorites 
cannot be kept. Their day has passed, and 
new candidates have taken their places. And 
these, in turn, must give way to others as they 
become unproductive, as they certainly will in 
time. 

Our only method of retaining and improving 
the productiveness of the potato crop is to 
continue to produce new varieties from the 
seed-ball. Even the justly celebrated Early 
Rose, which at the time of its introduction 
was probably without a peer in the world, has 
already lost much in this respect, and now has 



VEGETABLE PLANTS. 97 

many superiors. Let it not be supposed that 
every new seedling is valuable. Men who 
have produced varieties of especial merit have 
devoted almost their whole time to the work, 
and offered to the public only a few of the 
best from many thousands of seedlings. Who 
would think of trying to produce from the 
seed an apple superior to the Northern Spy, 
Baldwin, or Greening ? Yet our finest fruits 
were once produced from seeds, and the 
chances of superiority on new potatoes are 
probably no greater than in the case of fruits. 
Those who have been most successful have 
accomplished it by making crosses, or hybrid- 
izing the blossoms on the best varieties at their 
command. In this way great improvements 
have certainly been made during the past few 
years, and there is at the present time a list 
of varieties which we believe more meritorious 
than was ever offered to the public before — at 
least, within our recollection. We will append 
a short description of some which are not yet 
generally cultivated : 

The most popular variety now grown among 
the farmers in this section is the Burbank Seed- 
ling, which has, to a great extent, displaced the 
N. Y. Late Rose. It is so well known that a 



98 A MANUAL OF 

description is unnecessary, and whatever variety 
displaces it will certainly possess more than 
ordinary merit. Early Ohio has for several 
years been our best very early potato, but I find 
that to produce paying crops of large sized 
tubers it requires very rich soil and careful atten- 
tion. 

Beauty of Hebron is with us fast taking 
the place of Early Ohio, being better adapted 
to field culture and giving better results with 
common cultivation. 

Pride of America. — In spring of 1876 Mr. 
Brownell, of Vermont, sent me for trial a tuber 
labeled Early Williston. which for three years 
in succession has shown marks of decided 
superioritv in my trial grounds. This variety 
has recently been offered to the public as Pride 
of America. Mr. B. having decided to change 
the name before making it public. In color 
and shape it somewhat resembles the Snowflake, 
but is with me a better cropper and of very fine 
qualitv. I regard it as one of the best of Mr, 
Brownell's offerings. 

La Plume Triumph. — Some four years since 
a seedling was sent me from New Hampshire 
under the name of Triumph which has given a 
bountiful yield of large, healthy looking tubers 



VEGETABLE PLANTS. 99 

of fine quality. So highly pleased was I with 
this variety that I offered it for sale ; the same 
season a variety differing entirely from it was 
offered by other parties under the same name. 
To prevent any misunderstanding in regard to 
it we have since called it the La Plume Tri- 
umph, and after three years' trial find it one of 
our most valuable kinds for general field crop, 
for home and market purpose. 

Mammoth Pearl. — I have now grown this 
for two years. It is a large, nearly round, white 
variety, very heavy and solid. The vines are 
exceedingly strong and thrifty, and it is very 
productive. I think, however, that its claims 
to earliness and fine quality have been a little 
over-estimated bv some of its admirers. Yet it 
usually satisfies its purchasers. 

By cutting white eyes from the Blue Victor 
I obtained a variety so closely resembling the 
Mammoth Pearl that I now believe it origi- 
nated just in that way. 

St. Patrick. — So far as I have seen, reports 
of this variety have been only notes of praise. 
I grew it quite extensively last season, and have 
nothing to say against it. But I will say this 
much of it. If any man can see, either in the 
appearance of the tubers or vines, any difference 



IOO A MANUAL OF 

whatever from the already well-known and 
popular Burbank, he has better perceptive 
faculties than I have. 

Defiance. — This beautiful variety originated 
in this county three years ago. It is a seedling 
of the Climax, handsome and symmetrical in 
shape, eyes few and not depressed. The vines 
grow very strong and cover the ground well. 
The tubers set very full and grow large, but do 
not spread much in the hill. In color it is 
russety white ; quality, superb. In fine, it seems 
to combine the habits and productiveness of 
the Burbank with the quality of the Snowflake. 

Watson Seedling. — This is one of the many 
sorts intended to take the place of the Early 
Rose, which it closely resembles in shape and 
color. This might be thought no objection by 
some, but I find that when people purchase a 
half dozen new varieties all so nearly allied to 
something they already have that they cannot 
tell them apart, they are usually disappointed, 
and I think not without reason. This is the 
chief fault with Clark's No. i, and Chicago 
Market, both being otherwise promising. 

The Belle is one of the most remarkable, 
and all things considered the most desirable 
variety that has yet come to my notice. In my 



VEGETABLE PLANTS. IOI 

judgment it is of the best possible color, viz., a 
light red with skin slightly netted or covered 
with russet. It is very smooth and beautiful in 
form and proportions, with eyes but slightly 
depressed. In size it is extra large, and yet it 
is solid, never prongy or hollow. It is unsur- 
passed in cooking qualities, fairly eclipsing the 
old Peachblow in its palmiest days, and in yield- 
ing qualities not to be outdone. If upon fur- 
ther trial it deports itself as it has since coming 
to my notice, I shall consider it truly an acqui- 
sition. 

The above list embraces all the most valua- 
ble new varieties which we have thoroughly 
tested ; and we can confidently recommend all 
or any of them to the public, believing they will 
give much greater satisfaction than the old, de- 
generated varieties, to which so many cultiva- 
tors still tenaciously cling. Experiments have 
shown us that bringing the seed from a distance, 
where it has been grown on soil of a different 
character from that on which it is to be planted, 
will nearly always cause potatoes to yield far 
more than where the same or an equally good 
variety is continually propagated on the same 
soil. 



OUR BUSINESS 

IS THE PRODUCTION AND SALE OF THE 

CHOICEST TARIETIES 
I 

Vegetable and Flower Seeds, 

VEGETABLE PLANTS, 



AND 



New Varieties of Seed Potatoes. 



We invite all who are interested in these things to send us 
their names and addresses, and we will take pleasure in sending, 
free, a copy of our latest Priced Catalogue. Address, 

ISAAC F. TILLINGHAST, 

LA PLUME, 

LACKAWANNA CO., PA. 



